Ethan Rhodes
Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old man who was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha police officer in August 2020, is no longer hospitalized. Blake, who was initially paralyzed from the waist down due to the shooting, was released from Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and is now undergoing rehabilitation at an undisclosed location. In the aftermath of the shooting, Blake delivered messages to his supporters from his hospital bed, describing his constant pain and the life-altering impact of the incident. The shooting sparked widespread outrage and calls for police reform, with investigations and legal proceedings ongoing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of leaving hospital | 8 October 2020 |
| Hospital name | Froedtert Hospital, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin |
| Time spent in hospital | More than a month |
| Current location | Spinal injury rehabilitation center in Chicago |
| Paralysis status | Paralyzed from the waist down |
| Mental health | Getting mentally stronger |
| Physical health | Getting physically stronger |
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What You'll Learn
Jacob Blake was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin
On August 23, 2020, Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. The shooting occurred when police officers responded to the area of 40th Street and 28th Avenue following reports of an argument involving Blake. Blake was shot in the back four times and the side three times by police officer Rusten Sheskey. Sheskey claimed that he believed Blake was about to stab him, as Blake was holding a knife.
In the moments leading up to the shooting, Blake had been tased by two officers, but the tasers failed to disable him and he continued toward the vehicle. Blake had a warrant for his arrest from July, based on charges of third-degree felony sexual assault, trespassing, and disorderly conduct for domestic abuse. The officers dispatched on August 23 were aware of the pending warrant.
Video footage of the incident sparked protests and violence, with people setting cars on fire, smashing windows, and clashing with officers in riot gear. In the video, three officers can be seen shouting and pointing their weapons at Blake as he walked around a parked SUV. As Blake opened the driver's side door and leaned inside, one officer grabbed his shirt from behind and then fired into the vehicle.
Blake was flown to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where he was initially handcuffed to his hospital bed due to the outstanding warrant. He suffered serious injuries, including a gunshot wound to one arm and damage to his stomach, kidney, and liver, which required the removal of most of his small intestines and colon. Blake's father announced that Blake was paralyzed from the waist down, and it was unclear if the condition would be permanent. As of August 2021, Blake said he was able to take a few steps but was suffering from anxiety attacks.
In September 2020, Blake pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault charge, appearing via Zoom from his hospital bed. In November 2020, he reached a deal with the prosecution, pleading guilty to two charges of misdemeanour disorderly conduct and domestic abuse in exchange for the sexual assault charges being dropped. In May 2022, Jacob Blake withdrew his civil lawsuit against the officer who shot him.
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He was initially handcuffed to his hospital bed
Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot in the back seven times by police in Wisconsin. Blake was unarmed when he was shot, but a knife was later found in his car by investigators. He was taken to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where he was initially handcuffed to his hospital bed and under the guard of two officers due to an outstanding warrant.
Blake's father, also named Jacob Blake, expressed his outrage at his son being restrained to the bed while paralysed from the waist down. He questioned the necessity of the handcuffs, stating that his son could not move even if he wanted to. The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying they had been assisting the Kenosha County Sheriff's Department with the hospital watch and were working closely with the hospital and Blake's legal team to ensure a safe and dignified environment. Blake's national civil rights legal team expressed relief that he was no longer restrained.
The Kenosha Police Chief, Daniel Miskinis, initially did not comment on Blake's status, stating only that he was under the guard of an "outside law enforcement agency". However, Blake's attorney, Patrick Cafferty, confirmed that the handcuffs had been removed and the outstanding warrants against him had been vacated after $500 bail was posted. Deputies were also told to leave as they were only present due to the open felony warrant.
Blake remained in hospital until January 2023, when he was moved to a spinal injury rehabilitation centre in Chicago. It is still unclear how long he will remain in rehab, and his father has repeatedly called for police reform in the wake of the shooting.
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Blake was paralysed from the waist down
Jacob Blake was shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha police officer in Wisconsin on August 23, 2020. Blake, who is Black, was unarmed and in front of his three children when he was shot. The shooting was captured on video and sparked outrage, leading to several nights of protests and unrest.
Blake was flown to Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where he was initially handcuffed to his hospital bed due to an outstanding warrant. He was also guarded by two officers. In a video message posted to Twitter by his family's lawyer, Blake spoke of the constant pain he was suffering. He described how everything, from breathing and sleeping to moving and eating, caused him pain.
On August 25, Blake's father announced that his son was paralysed from the waist down and that doctors did not yet know if the paralysis would be permanent. Blake had also suffered a gunshot wound to one arm and damage to his stomach, kidney, and liver, resulting in the removal of most of his small intestines and colon. In addition to the physical injuries, Blake experienced mental health challenges, including anxiety attacks.
Blake remained in the hospital for an extended period, and in September 2020, he appeared via Zoom from his hospital bed to plead not guilty to a sexual assault charge. In November 2020, he reached a deal with the prosecution, pleading guilty to two charges of misdemeanour disorderly conduct and domestic abuse in exchange for the sexual assault charges being dropped.
As of August 2021, Blake stated that he was able to take a few steps but compared the experience to "sliding his legs through a woodchipper". He was still experiencing physical pain and anxiety attacks. It is unclear when Blake was discharged from the hospital, but he was released from Froedtert Hospital and moved to a rehabilitation center. In January 2023, it was reported that Blake was in a spinal injury rehabilitation center in Chicago, working to recover from his injuries.
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He was released from hospital in October 2020 and is in a rehabilitation centre
Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer on 23 August 2020. Blake was unarmed, but a knife was later found in his car by investigators. The shooting left him paralysed from the waist down, with injuries to his stomach, kidney, liver, and intestines. He was initially handcuffed to his hospital bed due to an outstanding warrant, but the handcuffs were removed after he posted bond.
In October 2020, more than a month after he was shot, Jacob Blake was released from the hospital where he had been receiving treatment and moved to a rehabilitation centre. Blake's attorney told the media that Blake had been discharged from Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and was now recovering at an undisclosed rehab centre. Blake's uncle, Justin Blake, confirmed his nephew's discharge but declined to provide further details, citing threats to the family since the shooting. He assured the public that Blake was "doing well" and "getting mentally stronger and physically stronger".
Blake's release from the hospital marked a significant step in his recovery process. However, the extent of his injuries and the long-term impact on his health remained uncertain. In an interview in August 2021, Blake shared that he was able to take a few steps but compared the experience to "sliding his legs through a woodchipper". He also revealed that he had been experiencing anxiety attacks.
The shooting of Jacob Blake sparked widespread outrage and brought attention to issues of systemic racism and police brutality in the United States. Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes strongly condemned the shooting, stating that it "wasn't bad police work" but felt like a "vendetta". Former Vice President and 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden called for an "immediate, full, and transparent investigation" into the incident, and he and his running mate, Kamala Harris, met with Blake's family.
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Blake's shooting sparked protests and unrest
Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, was shot in the back seven times by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 23, 2020, as he attempted to get into his vehicle while his three children were inside. Blake survived the shooting but was left partially paralyzed, and his family initially said he was paralyzed from the waist down. Doctors stated that his paralysis was likely permanent, and it was unclear how long he would remain in rehab. Blake's father told reporters that one of the first things Blake asked upon regaining consciousness was why he had been shot so many times.
Video footage of the shooting circulated online, sparking protests and unrest in Kenosha and across the country. The protests in Kenosha escalated into riots, resulting in significant property damage, violence, and the deaths of two individuals at the hands of a counter-protester. Activists linked the shooting to the killings of several other Black people by police officers, including Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, and George Floyd. Large numbers of protestors traveled to Kenosha to express their anger about Blake's treatment by the police. The national response to Blake's shooting mirrored other high-profile cases of police brutality against Black individuals.
The unrest following Blake's shooting included rallies, marches, property damage, arson, and clashes with police. Two men were fatally shot by an armed civilian, 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse from Antioch, Illinois. Blake's name was invoked in protests in other cities as part of the Black Lives Matter movement, which gained momentum following several well-known killings of Black people by police officers in 2020.
In January 2021, Kenosha County prosecutors announced that the officers involved in the shooting would not be charged, and the officer who shot Blake, Rusten Sheskey, returned to regular police duty in April 2021. In May 2022, Blake withdrew his civil lawsuit against Sheskey but refiled it in August 2023, only to voluntarily dismiss it again in September 2023, leading to further protests and a state of emergency being declared in Kenosha County.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Jacob Blake has been released from the hospital.
Jacob Blake was released from the hospital in October 2020, over a month after he was shot.
Jacob Blake is currently in a spinal injury rehabilitation center in Chicago.
Jacob Blake was hospitalized after being shot seven times in the back by a Kenosha police officer.
Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley declined to bring charges against the police officers involved in the shooting.
