Kenosha Professional Police Association Blasts Governor, Asks Public to ‘Withhold Prejudgment’

Kenosha
Getty Images/Scott Olson
Dylan Gwinn

The Kenosha Professional Police Association ripped what it called the “irresponsible” comments from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and issued a call for withholding judgment, in the wake of an officer-involved shooting on Sunday.

The Association made clear that their “hearts go out” to those affected by the use of “deadly force.” Though, the organization also asked for the public to wait until the investigation into the incident is complete before assigning blame.

Pete Deates, the president of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, issued the statement:

Anytime deadly force is used, our hearts go out to those affected by it.  We assure you an independent investigation is being conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation.

Until that investigation is completed, we ask that you withhold prejudgment about the incident and please the let process take place. Governor Evers’ statement on the incident was wholly irresponsible and not reflective of the hardworking members of the law enforcement community, not to mention the citizens of the City of Kenosha.
As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident. We ask that you withhold from passing judgement until all the facts are known and released.

We, along with the citizens of the great City of Kenosha, ask for peace and to let the process play out fairly and impartially.

Violence swept across Kenosha Sunday evening after an incident earlier in the day where police officers responding to a domestic incident, shot a black man seven times in the back as he walked away from them and attempted to gain entry to a vehicle.

WATCH:

The scene of the shooting quickly deteriorated into chaos as the neighborhood emptied out and began throwing bricks and other projectiles at arriving officers. One officer was struck in the head and knocked unconscious by what appeared to be a brick.

WATCH:

More information has been made public about Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old man who was shot by police. According to the Associated Press, Blake was wanted for sexual assault, among other charges.

As the AP reports:

Online court records indicate Kenosha County prosecutors charged Blake on July 6 with third-degree sexual assault, trespassing and disorderly conduct in connection with domestic abuse. An arrest warrant was issued for Blake the following day.

The records contain no further details and do not list an attorney for Blake.

As Breitbart’s Joel Pollak reports, the Racine County Eye wrote of a 2015 incident in which Blake “had to be subdued by a police dog after he resisted arrest following an armed altercation in a bar.”

As the Eye reported:

Jacob Blake, 24, of Racine, was charged Monday in Racine County Circuit Court with one felony count of resisting arrest causing a soft tissue injury to a police officer and one misdemeanor count each of carrying a concealed weapon, carrying a firearm while intoxicated, endangering safety-use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct. If convicted, he will face up to 8-1/2 years in prison and/or up to $50,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint, Blake and two women were at the Brass Monkey tavern, 1436 Junction Avenue, Saturday when Blake got into an argument with another patron and pulled a black handgun. Blake pointed the gun at the other man, and the magazine fell to the floor. The bartender told Blake to leave, and he did but then pointed the gun through the window at patrons inside the bar before walking south on Junction Avenue.

Police say they encountered a woman walking on Junction who was in the bar with Blake, but she said she didn’t know what happened and that her friends left without her in a silver SUV. A few moments later, officers were advised that a silver SUV was traveling north on Junction with a male subject driving who matched the description of Blake, and they initiated a traffic stop in the 1200 block of Racine Avenue.

Believing the driver was armed, police conducted a high risk traffic stop, the complaint reads, and ordered Blake to put his hands out the window of the vehicle. Instead, Blake exited the SUV and started walking toward officers and ignored commands to get down on the ground. Officers forced Blake to the ground and ordered him to put his hands behind his back. When Blake refused to comply, K9 Dozer was deployed to force the defendant into compliance.

“Breitbart News attempted to confirm that the same individual was involved in both altercations,” Pollak explained. “The telephone line of the Racine police department was busy.”

Witnesses claim Blake was attempting to break-up a fight between two women when police arrived on the scene. As of the time of this writing, the Kenosha Police Department has not released any details from their investigation.

Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn

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