Captured on Video: Kenosha police shoot unarmed Black man at close range as he enters his car

Neighbors confronted law enforcement at the scene of a police shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Sunday, August 23 that drew a harsh rebuke from the governor and prompted crowds to march in the streets after a video posted on social media appeared to show officers shoot at a man’s back seven times as he leaned into a vehicle.

Kenosha Police said a person was hospitalized in serious condition following a shooting by officers about 5:00 p.m. as police were responding to a “domestic incident,” the Kenosha Police Department said in a news release. Police did not provide details about what led to the shooting or the officers involved, but said the person was transported to a hospital in Milwaukee for treatment.

In the video posted on social media that appeared to show the shooting from across a street, three officers could be seen shouting and pointing their weapons at the man, who appeared to be Black, as he walked around the front of an SUV parked on the street. As the man opened the driver’s side door and leaned inside, one officer grabbed his shirt from behind and then fired into the vehicle. Seven shots could be heard on the video, though it was unclear if more than one officer fired.

Governor Tony Evers on Sunday night released a statement on Twitter condemning the shooting of a man who “was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight” and whom he identified as Jacob Blake.

“Tonight, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times, in broad daylight, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Kathy and I join his family, friends, and neighbors in hoping earnestly that he will not succumb to his injuries. While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first Black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country.

We stand with all those who have and continue to demand justice, equity, and accountability for Black lives in our country—lives like those of George Floyd, of Breonna Taylor, Tony Robinson, Dontre Hamilton, Ernest Lacy, and Sylville Smith. And we stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with Black Wisconsinites.

I have said all along that although we must offer our empathy, equally important is our action. In the coming days, we will demand just that of elected officials in our state who have failed to recognize the racism in our state and our country for far too long.”