Rusten Sheskey, the officer who shot and paralyzed Jacob Blake from the waist down, will not face any charges.
In a year where racial injustices took the forefront in social discourse, the shooting of Jacob Blake made headlines as protests erupted across the world in support of BLM. Today, Kenosha County District Attorney announced that the officers who fired seven shots in Jacob Blake at point-blank range will not be facing any charges.
District Attorney Michael D. Graveley said that Rusten Sheskey won’t face any criminal charges for the August shooting that left Blake paralyzed from the waist down. Graveley explained that there were careful review and investigation before coming to the decision, concluding that Sheskey didn’t break any laws. Graveley added that Blake wouldn’t face any criminal charges, either.
If you recall, Sheskey chased down Blake as he walked away from him and refused to halt, following him around his SUV before firing seven shots in him from two feet away. Blake is paralyzed from the waist down. Over the months since the shooting, he’s spent a large amount of time in recovery, recently undergoing spinal cord rehab.
Officials in Kenosha placed measures ahead of the decision as protests begin to pop up across the country again. Wisconsin governor Tony Evers called on 500 National Guard troops to help law enforcement.
Sheskey is currently on administrative leave, though many are pushing for his termination from the Kenosha police force.