The Democratic candidate for President and politicians on both sides of the aisle from Wisconsin have made a public statement about Kenosha Police shooting Jacob Blake seven times as he entered his vehicle, leaving him in serious condition Monday morning.
“These shots pierce the soul of our nation,” said Joe Biden on Monday. “This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable.”
The shooting happened Sunday afternoon. Violent unrest followed into the morning hours on Monday.
Read his full statement below.
NEW statement from Joe Biden on Jacob Blake: “The nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force. This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable.” pic.twitter.com/CHgtgXTyaR
— Sabrina Siddiqui (@SabrinaSiddiqui) August 24, 2020
As of 11:40 a.m. Monday, President Trump did not share a public statement about the shooting.
Republican Senator Ron Johnson focused his comments about the demonstrations that followed and the investigation to come.
While emotions are understandably running high in the Kenosha community and elsewhere, I urge any demonstrators to remain peaceful and give our justice system the opportunity to work.
— Senator Ron Johnson (@SenRonJohnson) August 24, 2020
Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin spoke to those points, and also shared her feeling that the video of the shooting was “terrifying to watch.”
My statement on the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha on Sunday night: pic.twitter.com/VvlNFkvFm6
— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) August 24, 2020
Republican Bryan Steil represents Kenosha in the House of Representatives. He also spoke about a need for a Wisconsin Department of Justice investigation, and for violence from demonstrators to end.
We need the Wisconsin Department of Justice to conduct a thorough, independent, exhaustive investigation into the officer-involved shooting in Kenosha. We must support each other and our Kenosha community, and we cannot allow violence and destruction. pic.twitter.com/F51YuVoGrv
— Bryan Steil (@RepBryanSteil) August 24, 2020
Milwaukee Democratic Representative Gwen Moore tweeted from the perspective of being a Black person, and for passage of police reform bills by Republican-led legislatures including the U.S. Senate and the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate.
Jacob was shot in the back multiple times in front of his children. We all must treat racism as the public health emergency that it is and take appropriate action to keep other families and communities from being traumatized by these reckless shootings. (2/4)
— Rep. Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) August 24, 2020
I’m also calling for action from the @senatemajldr to bring the Justice in Policing Act to the Senate floor.
— Rep. Gwen Moore (@RepGwenMoore) August 24, 2020
And I’m calling on the majority in the WI State Legislature to take up the police reform measures laid out by our Governor & Lieutenant Governor earlier this year. (4/4)
Madison Democratic Representative Mark Pocan shared his feelings about what he called a “broken policing system” and asking for the officer to be arrested.
Last night, Jacob Blake was shot in the back multiple times by police in my hometown, Kenosha.
— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) August 24, 2020
Police violence against Black people reflects a broken policing system—and justice must be served.
The officers ‘involved’ must be arrested.
Our thought are with Jacob & his family.
As of 11:40 a.m., GOP Representatives Mike Gallagher, Glenn Grothman, Jim Sensenbrenner and Tom Tiffany, and Democratic Rep. Ron Kind had not shared messages on social media.