Jacob Blake paralyzed from waist down after police shooting in Wisconsin

The father of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old Black man shot by Kenosha, Wis., police on Sunday, told the Chicago Sun-Times that his son is paralyzed from the waist down.

Cellphone footage of Blake’s shooting on Sunday captured multiple shots fired when Kenosha Police Department officers trailed him as he attempted to enter his vehicle. Blake’s three children were in the car at the time of the shooting, his attorney said. 

Blake remains hospitalized in serious condition. His father said there are now “eight holes” in his body from the waist down. 

“What justified all those shots?” Blake’s father told the Sun-Times. “What justified doing that in front of my grandsons? What are we doing?”

Blake’s shooting has gained national attention since footage of his encounter with police went viral and follows months of demonstrations across the country over the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died in police custody on May 25. 

Massive protests have erupted in Kenosha for two consecutive nights since the shooting of Blake.

The older Blake described his son as a “happy little dude” who like to be with his family. 

“I want to put my hand on my son’s cheek and kiss him on his forehead, and then I’ll be OK,” his father said. “I’ll kiss him with my mask. The first thing I want to do is touch my son.”