Kamala Harris meets with Jacob Blake’s family during visit to Wisconsin

Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) on Monday privately met with the family of Jacob Blake, the Black man who was shot several times in the back by police in Kenosha, Wis., last month.

Harris met with members of the Blake family as she made her first appearance in Wisconsin since being selected as Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s running mate. Harris met with the family and members of Blake’s legal team at a private airport in Milwaukee, a Biden campaign official said, adding that Harris spoke with Blake by phone during the meeting. 

Benjamin Crump, an attorney representing the Blake family, said in a statement that Harris spoke with the family about how they’re handling the trauma of the shooting. She also addressed the Biden campaign’s policy goals, including the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, a bill focusing on police practices and law enforcement accountability. 

Blake, 29, was repeatedly shot in the back by a Kenosha police officer on Aug. 23 after officers responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. Video of the incident captured a white police officer trailing Blake and firing his weapon seven times as Blake leaned into his vehicle. Blake is now paralyzed from the waist down, according to his family. 

Footage of the shooting quickly spread online and reignited demonstrations in Kenosha and other U.S. cities. Some of the protests gave way to violence and the destruction of property, which President Trump has claimed is a product of poorly run Democratic-led cities. 

Trump and Biden made separate trips to Kenosha last week. During his visit, Trump met with local law enforcement and toured businesses impacted by violence and looting. Biden visited Kenosha last Thursday, privately meeting with Blake’s family and speaking at a church with a group of local activists and business leaders.  

Biden said during a press conference amid his visit that charges against the officer who shot Blake appeared warranted. The Justice Department and Wisconsin state officials are leading investigations into the shooting. 

Harris is scheduled to tour an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers training facility and speak with union members and Wisconsin labor leadership during her visit to the crucial swing state. She is also planning to take part in a roundtable with Black Milwaukee business owners. 

UPDATED 3:19 p.m.