The governor of Wisconsin has tapped the National Guard to help Kenosha law enforcement “ensure public safety” ahead of any possible charges made in the Jacob Blake shooting.
On Monday night (Jan. 4), Governor Tony Evers mobilized 500 troops to the city in anticipation of the charging decision which Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley is expected to make sometime within the next two weeks.
“Our members of the National Guard will be on hand to support local first responders, ensure Kenoshans are able to assemble safely and to protect critical infrastructure as necessary,” Evers said in a statement.
The Kenosha Common Council has also allowed Mayor John Antaramian to impose curfews or any other emergency measures.
Evers’ decision comes days after Antaramian and Police Chief Daniel Miskinis shared they were working on plans to keep Kenosha residents safe and requested that any possible protests remain peaceful and lawful.
“The Wisconsin Department of Justice, independent of the City of Kenosha, conducted the investigation, so we don’t know what that decision will be or when it will be announced,” the mayor and Miskinis wrote in an op-ed. “What we do know is that regardless of the decision, people will have differing opinions and strong emotions about it. That is everyone’s right. Whether you agree or disagree, we ask that you express your opinions peacefully and lawfully.”
The opinion piece continued, “We will not — we can not — tolerate the kind of violence we saw on our streets earlier this year, and we will take definitive steps to protect our residents and businesses.”
Blake was reportedly trying to break up a physical dispute between two women when Officer Rusten Sheskey — who was responding to calls of a domestic incident — shot him seven times in the back. He is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of the shooting.