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Aug. 26: Kaul Says Officer Rusten Sheskey Shot Jacob Blake; Blake Had Knife In Car

Anger over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, continues to spill into the streets of Kenosha, Wis. The city has become the nation's latest flashpoint during a summer of unrest and calls for racial justice after Kenosha police shot Blake in the back Sunday. The 29-year-old is hospitalized, and the family's lawyer says he is paralyzed.

>>Find all of WUWM's Kenosha protest coverage here.

Find previous days' coverage here:

>> Tuesday, Aug. 25
>> Monday, Aug. 24

>> Sunday, Aug. 23

WUWM is providing updates as events unfold and information on the incident is released.

8:10 p.m. Kenosha Protests Continue Past Curfew

About 60 protesters marched south on Sheridan Road in Kenosha at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday. At that time, visible police presence appeared to be limited. Closer to the 7 p.m. curfew, an armed police vehicle was stationed at the west end of Civic Center Park. So far, WUWM has witnessed no apparent arrests for curfew violations.

Antioch, Ill., where shooting suspect Kyle Rittenhouse resides, also issued a curfew. In a tweet, the Lake County Sheriff's office said the curfew was "out of an abundance of caution regarding potential civil unrest."

- Chuck Quirmbach, Michelle Maternowski

6:44 p.m.: Kaul Says Officer Rusten Sheskey Shot Jacob Blake; Blake Had Knife In Car

Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey has been named as the officer who fired his weapon into Jacob Blake’s back seven times on Sunday. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul says no other officer fired and that Sheskey has been placed on administrative leave.

In a video clip taken from across the street, Blake walks from the sidewalk around the front of his SUV to his driver-side door as officers follow him with their guns pointed and shout at him. As Blake opens the door and leans into the SUV, an officer (now identified Sheskey) grabs his shirt from behind and opens fire while Blake has his back turned.

Kaul says after interviewing Blake, he admitted to having a knife in his car. The knife was recovered in a search, but no other weapon was found to be in his vehicle.

Under Wisconsin law, a case involving a police officer who fires a weapon requires an independent agency to conduct the investigation. Kaul says the Wisconsin DOJ will be the independent office investigating the shooting.

Kaul says the shooting is despicable.

“[Kenosha] has been through some extremely traumatic events in the last few days. The people of this community deserve to have the opportunity to grieve, they deserve to have the opportunity to come together, to protest peacefully, to call for the change that they would like to see, and ultimately to work to heal this community,” he says.

- Jack Hurbanis

5:24 p.m.: Brewers Follow Bucks, Will Not Play Wednesday Night

After a team meeting, the Brewers decided not to play their game against the Cincinnati Reds to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake, according to baseball writer Jared Diamond.

He tweeted that the Reds have agreed to sit out as well, meaning neither team will forfeit the game.

Before the team meeting, Brewers’ relief pitcher Josh Hader said this is a time athletes need to use their voice and these boycotts are “more than sports.”

This comes in the wake of the Bucks deciding not to play their game against the Orlando Magic, which led to the NBA postponing the three games scheduled for Wednesday.

More teams across the MLB have announced they will discuss boycotting Wednesday night games.

- Jack Hurbanis

4 p.m.: Kenosha Sets Curfew For Fourth Night — Starts At 7 PM, Expires Sunday

Kenosha officials announced Wednesday there will be a 7 p.m. curfew every night until Sunday. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth said in a press conference that the curfew could be extended or end sooner depending on the course of action throughout the week.

Beth said the curfew is being extended into daylight hours to help disperse protesters. Beth also says, protesters remaining past curfew will be arrested.

Questions about the suspect arrested Wednesday in the killing of two people gunned down during the third night of protests in Kenosha went largely unanswered. Beth says Illinois law enforcement will be handling the case.

In Wisconsin, a person must be 18 to open carry. When asked why officers didn’t apprehend the shooter, Beth said it could be for a number of reasons — such as the amount of communication coming in over the radio or that police may have had tunnel vision that prevented awareness.

Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian said the city doesn’t support the militias seen last night. He said the city looks to law enforcement to make decisions regarding how to handle protesters and any escalation.

Beth said he was asked by a citizen if the militia members could become deputized citizens. He said militia members becoming deputized would be a liability to the city and that their presence causes confusion.

- Olivia Richardson

3:25 p.m.: Bucks Boycott Game 5 Over Jacob Blake Shooting

The Milwaukee Bucks have decided to boycott game five of their first-round playoff series against the Orlando Magic. According to ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, the team decided not to leave the locker room in protest of the shooting of Jacob Blake.

Player Pat Connaughton was seen entering the arena with a shirt that read “Protect Kids, Not Guns.”

All three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday have been postponed. Read more here.

- Jack Hurbanis

2:09 p.m.: 'A Senseless Tragedy': Evers Responds To Deadly Shooting During Kenosha Unrest

Gov. Tony Evers released a statement regarding a shooting during Tuesday night's unrest in Kenosha. He said violence against anyone should not be tolerated and is “grateful there has already been swift action to arrest one person involved.”

Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old from Illinois, was arrested Wednesday in the killing of two people gunned down during the third night of protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake. 

Evers offered his condolences to those killed and injured but says he doesn't want the violence to distract from the “pursuit of a more fair, equitable, and accountable state and country from Jacob Blake and the many others who deserve justice.”

"A senseless tragedy like this cannot happen again," he said. “Those who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights please do so peacefully and safely.”

Not long before releasing his statement, Evers approved sending 500 Wisconsin National Guard to Kenosha County, doubling the number of troops sent in.

- Jack Hurbanis, Lauren Sigfusson, Associated Press

1:05 p.m.: Evers Authorizes More National Guard Troops To Deploy To Kenosha

Gov. Tony Evers approved Wednesday sending 500 Wisconsin National Guard to Kenosha County in response to the unrest, doubling the number of troops sent in.

Earlier Wednesday, eight Kenosha County Board Supervisors requested that Evers ask President Trump to deploy 2,000 National Guardsmen, citing damage to numerous businesses and that the Guardsmen Evers  already sent have failed to stop the violence.

The county board supervisors are also asking for low interest SBA loans and FEMA funds to help rebuild parts of the city destroyed since protesting began.

- Jack Hurbanis, Lauren Sigfusson, Associated Press

12:45 p.m.: Suspect Arrested After 2 Killed During Kenosha Unrest

A white, 17-year-old police admirer was arrested Wednesday in the killing of two people gunned down during the third night of protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a Black man, Jacob Blake.

Kyle Rittenhouse, of Antioch, Illinois, was taken into custody in Illinois on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide. Antioch is about 15 miles from Kenosha.

Two people were shot to death Tuesday night in an attack carried out by a young white man who was caught on cellphone video opening fire in the middle of the street with a semi-automatic rifle.

“I just killed somebody,” the gunman could be heard saying at one point during the rampage that erupted just before midnight.

- Associated Press

12:27 p.m.: Trump Says Federal Law Enforcement Coming To Kenosha

President Trump tweeted Wednesday that Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers has accepted federal assistance in response to unrest in Kenosha. Tuesday protests turned to unrest late in the night, with two people being shot to death and another person injured.

Trump tweeted that federal law enforcement and more National Guard will head to Kenosha.

Lauren Sigfusson

5:01 a.m.: Kenosha Police Confirm Second Shooting Death

Kenosha police say two people have now died following a shooting that took place late Tuesday during protests. A third person is being treated for "serious, but non-life threatening" gunshot injuries at a hospital.

- Michelle Maternowski

3:08 a.m.: One Person Shot To Death, Two Others Injured

Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told the New York Times that three people had been shot, one of whom was killed, after midnight in Kenosha. According to the paper, the sheriff’s office is looking into whether “a conflict between demonstrators and a group of men with weapons who said they were protecting businesses” led to the shootings.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinelis reporting the sheriff said one victim was shot in the head and another in the chest. He told the paper no arrests have been made yet.

According to the Washington Post, “a young white man carrying an AR-15-style rifle began running north on Sheridan" Road. A video on Twitter shows the man fall and shoot into a crowd of people. More graphic videos show people tending to a person with a serious head injury and another person who was shot in the arm.

- Michelle Maternowski

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