Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
Jacob Blake Paralyzed After Being Shot In The Back By The Police
Listen
• 3:04
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
Jacob Blake's life matters. That was the message today from the family and lawyers of the Black man who was shot at least seven times in the back by a Kenosha, Wis., police officer on Sunday. LaToya Dennis of member station WUWM was at the press conference where members of Jacob Blake's family spoke, and she's with us now. Hey, LaToya.
LATOYA DENNIS, BYLINE: Hi.
KELLY: Tell us how he's doing. What do we know about Blake's condition?
Support for LAist comes from
DENNIS: Yeah, what we know at this point is that he's paralyzed from the waist down, and doctors are not yet sure as to whether that's permanent. He has injuries to his spinal cord, he has injuries to his vertebrae, he has bullet holes in his stomach, part of his colon has been removed, he has kidney and liver damage, and he was also shot in the arm. Today, he was rushed into surgery, and this was just another surgery, basically. There are so many that he's expected to need in the future. And because of that, doctors are also worried about bacterial meningitis.
KELLY: What more are we learning about what actually happened on Sunday? There's this video. It's being widely shared. It shows a police officer who follows Blake around a vehicle and then shoots him in the back. But there's so much we still don't know. What questions are still out there?
DENNIS: I mean, I think you're right about that. There is so much we still don't know. We don't know what happened between Blake and the police officers before that video started, right? Blake was said to be there. He was breaking up a verbal altercation between two women. And we don't know what happened after that, outside of police arriving. We saw Blake walking around his vehicle trying to get into his vehicle. There have been rumors that he was armed. Although that's not seen in the video, we don't know. So those questions do remain.
KELLY: Kenosha has seen protests since the shooting on Sunday. Blake's mother has been calling for those protests to stay peaceful. What are demonstrators saying that they want?
DENNIS: Demonstrators are saying that they want real police reform. And not only do they want police reform, they want the officer or officers involved in this shooting fired immediately. They want charges filed immediately. And not only do they want charges filed, they want the officer or officers involved convicted. And they say that until that happens, you're going to see this repeated time and time again.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
JULIA JACKSON: Do Jacob justice on this level and examine your hearts. We need healing.
Support for LAist comes from
KELLY: That was Blake's mother speaking there, LaToya.
DENNIS: Yeah, that was his mother, Julia Jackson. And she just basically said that everyone, whether you're white, whether you're Black, whether you're a police officer, whomever you are, she wants you to reexamine your heart because she says we're not hearing each other, and we're all human and we need to be treated as humans.
KELLY: LaToya Dennis from member station WUWM reporting there. Thank you.
DENNIS: Thank you. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars. -
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
-
Monarch butterflies are on a path to extinction, but there is a way to support them — and maybe see them in your own yard — by planting milkweed.
-
With California voters facing a decision on redistricting this November, Surf City is poised to join the brewing battle over Congressional voting districts.
-
The drug dealer, the last of five defendants to plead guilty to federal charges linked to the 'Friends' actor’s death, will face a maximum sentence of 65 years in prison.
Best of LAist