The officers who were involved in the Sunday night (Aug. 23) shooting of a Black man in Kenosha, Wisconsin have been placed on administrative leave, according to the state Department of Justice.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice released a statement on Monday (Aug. 24) about the status of the officers after the shooting, which placed 29-year-old Jacob Blake in the hospital. “Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) is leading this investigation and is assisted by Wisconsin State Patrol and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office,” the statement read. “All involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation. The involved officers have been placed on administrative leave.”
The statement did not list the names of the officers who were involved in the shooting and it did not state how many officers were placed on leave.
Blake was shot several times by Kenosha Police officers after he reportedly tried to break up a fight between two women. A video of the shooting went viral and viewers watched as Blake was shot in his back several times by a police officer — while his kids watched from inside the car.
Blake’s condition was unknown for awhile after the shooting. As of Monday morning, many of his friends and family members confirmed that he was in stable condition. NBA agent Daniel Poneman — who used to go to school with Blake — took to Twitter to confirm that he made it out of surgery and was in the ICU.
“I just spoke to Jacob’s cousin [Pauly] in the hospital. He said they need your prayers and not condolences. He is out of surgery and in the ICU. He can make it through this. He is fighting for his life. Please please please pray for Jacob Blake.”
He added, “His family asked me to deliver the message that he is still alive and he can make it through this, and that reports of his death are false.”
Blake’s father took to Facebook to share that his son was “alive and stable.”
The family has retained legal representation from civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump. He called the actions of the police officers “irresponsible, reckless and inhumane” and said that it’s a “miracle” Blake is alive.