Kenosha police shooting updates: ACLU criticizes use of National Guard in Kenosha and police pepper spraying protesters

Journal Sentinel reporters are in Kenosha in the aftermath of the shooting of Jacob Blake, who was shot in the back multiple times by police Sunday. Check back for updates.

More:Prominent figures react to the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, including Joe Biden

More:Kenosha businesses damaged and vehicles burned after police officer shoots Jacob Blake in the back

7:20 p.m. Kenosha representative in office just three weeksjoins marchers

Kenosha Ald. Shayna Griffin, who has been in office just three weeks, decided to join marchers on Monday.

“Fear is making everything worse,“ Griffin said. “The police are fearful. The community is fearful. The fear is making everything worse. We need to address the issues and at least acknowledge there is a problem... Life is harder when you’re a person of color and some people don’t even want to admit that.“

Griffin said she is against violence and the destruction that occurred in Kenosha Sunday night but peoples' emotions are raw.

“The initial reaction is not always the best reaction,“ Griffin said. “Material things can be replaced but life cannot.”

- Ricardo Torres

7:15 p.m. ACLU criticizes use of National Guard in Kenosha

The ACLU of Wisconsin criticized the deployment of the National Guard and the Kenosha Police Department's use of pepper spray against protesters and journalists and said Monday that it was sending a team of legal observers to monitor the actions of law enforcement.

"People in Kenosha have a constitutional right to express their indignation over the police shooting of Jacob Blake, as well as to demand an end to the epidemic of police violence that has systematically harmed and killed Black and brown people for generations," ACLU of Wisconsin Executive Director Chris Ott said in a statement.

"We know that militarizing policing often only serves to exacerbate tensions, and opens the door to more police misconduct and violence," Ott said. "The response to protesters over police brutality cannot be even more brutality; entering a community armed with tear gas, rubber bullets and riot gear achieves just the opposite effect.”

The ACLU urged state and local officers and the National Guard to respect demonstrators’ First Amendment rights and avoid making arrests or using force, including tear gas, unless it is necessary to protect human life.

"Tear gas has been banned as a method of warfare and should never be used against protesters exercising their constitutional rights — particularly during a pandemic spread by coughing, and which attacks people’s respiratory systems," Ott said.

- Annysa Johnson

6:50 p.m. Marchers set off from Civic Center Park

A crowd of hundreds of people protesting the police shooting of Jacob Blake has started marching from Civic Center Park in Kenosha, where they stopped to listen to activists.

Activists encouraged people to vote and get involved in local government.

The crowd started north toward Sheridan Road and 52nd Street before heading east and then turning south on 6th Avenue.

Some of the roads were blocked and not open to traffic, as protesters walked in the streets shouting things like, "What's his name? Jacob Blake" and "What do we want? Justice. When do we want it? Now."

Ja'Mal Green, a Chicago activist, said there have been a lot of police shootings in the Midwest.

"Wherever that happens we have to make sure that all those families know we are standing in solidarity with them," Green said.

- Jessica Rodriguez

6:30 p.m. Wisconsin faith leaders ask for independent investigation

Faith leaders across the state condemned the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, offering their prayers for Blake and his family, and some demanding changes in police practices and an independent investigation. 

"We express our shock and anger at what appears to be an unjustified and overwhelming use of force," leaders of the Interfaith Conference of Greater Milwaukee, Kenosha's Congregations United to Serve Humanity and the statewide WISDOM coalition said in a joint statement.

"There is still a lot of work to be done in our country when it comes to race relations, the role of police, and a punitive criminal justice system as a whole," it said. "We are failing our communities, our nation, and the sacredness of life that our diverse faith communities celebrate."

They called for the implementation of community policing strategies to strengthen relationships between officers and the communities they serve and said everyone, including police officers, "must be held accountable for their actions."

The Islamic Society of Milwaukee called the shooting unreasonable and excessive and called for an independent and open investigation and prosecution of the officers involved.

"From our perspective, this is a clear case of police brutality and a complete disregard for human life," the state's largest Islamic association said in a statement. "Police departments across the nation must uproot those officers who are prone to violence, particularly those who express extreme aggressiveness towards African Americans."

Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki offered his prayers for Blake, his family and the city of Kenosha, acknowledging the "sin of racism" and the fear and anger felt by all who were present when he was shot.

But Listecki urged people to reject violence in response, saying it "can never be the means to attain peace and justice."

- Annysa Johnson

6:08 p.m. Milwaukee sports teams, Aaron Rodgers, Khris Middleton speak out about Kenosha shooting

Milwaukee sports teams and athletes Aaron Rodgers, Khris Middleton and LeBron James are among those expressing their anger and sadness over the shooting by Kenosha police of Jacob Blake Sunday night.

The Milwaukee Brewers issued a statement:

The video of the shooting of Jacob Blake is deeply disturbing and raises many of the same questions we have been asking related to social injustice and racism in our communities. Once again, we are faced with images of a horrific incident that show at appear to be inexplicable and excessive force inflicted upon a Black individual. It stirs emotions of anger, confusion and great sadness at a time when we need healing and lasting change. We pray for a full recovery for Jacob, and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

The Milwaukee Bucks also issued a statement saying it was praying for Blake’s recovery:

We stand firmly against reoccurring issues of excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging the black community. Our organization will continue to stand for all black lives as we demand accountability and systemic change on behalf of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sylville Smith, Ernest Lacy, Dontre Hamilton, Tony Robinson, Joel Acevedo and countless other victims. We will work to enact a policy change so these incidents no longer exist.

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Bucks reporter Matt Velazquez asked forward Khris Middleton his thoughts about Blake’s shooting following today’s 121-106 victory over Orlando. Middleton told Velazquez:

I mean, I think this is why we have so many people outraged all over the country. The man was shot seven times at point-blank range in the back. It doesn’t get any sicker than that. I think people are starting to see why Black people, colored people are so afraid of police because at any time, no matter what type of position, no matter what they did right or wrong, their first act is to shoot us. That’s a very scary situation to be in when they’re supposed to protect us.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said in a video:

There’s a systemic problem and until the problem is fixed, this is going to be an all too common sight in this country. It hits home being not far from Green Bay. I’m not going to comment directly on the video until more facts come out. Obviously it’s something where as a non-police officer I think a lot of us, the natural question is - when is lethal force necessary? Again that goes to a systematic problem that needs to be addressed at some point.

Los Angeles Lakers super star LeBron James retweeted a video of Blake’s shooting and added:

And y’all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This (expletive) is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE

- Meg Jones

5:08 p.m. Kenosha post office closes because of unrest, mail diverted to Pleasant Prairie

Because of protests in Kenosha the city's main post office at 5606 Sheridan Road has been shut down with retail service and delivery operations relocated to the post office in Pleasant Prairie. 

Post office box holders and customers in Zip Codes 53140,53142, 53143 and 53144 who received an attempted delivery notice can pick up their mail at the Pleasant Prairie Post Office during retail hours.  

Officials said they don't know when the post office in Kenosha will reopen.   

Postal officials advised customers who want to mail items or buy stamps can do so at the post offices in Pleasant Prairie or Somers as well as Festival Foods, 3207 80th St, Kenosha or Meijer, 7701 Green Bay Road.

- Meg Jones

4:27 p.m.: Group from press conference begins march through Kenosha

After waiting in the Civic Center Park — the original location for the afternoon press conference — a group of about 200 began marching south on 10th Avenue in Kenosha.

People came out of their businesses and looked out windows as the group of marchers passed by, mostly young people and a few families, many carrying signs.

Some people handed out water bottles to the marchers in the scorching heat.

Families with young children came to stand on the sidewalk and raise their fists as the group marched past.

Arriving at the intersection of 60th Street and 22nd Avenue, the group sat down for a "die in," blocking the road with bicycles and their bodies and starting chants.

—Sophie Carson

3 p.m.: Mayor's press conference moves inside with limited access; journalists and others outside pepper-sprayed

The situation in Kenosha became tense when a press conference scheduled for Civic Center Park was moved inside the public safety building minutes before its start time.

Hundreds rushed to the building, where Kenosha Mayor John Antaramian came out to talk but was quickly surrounded, his words inaudible.

He turned and went inside the building, and many in the crowd attempted to follow.

A door to the public safety building was snapped off its hinges and police in riot gear came to guard the entrance. They then pepper-sprayed the crowd; five or 10 people were hit, including photographers from AP and Getty.

The remaining crowd, including many members of the media, were not allowed inside.

Alvin Owens, a former teacher at Kenosha schools, had tried calming the crowd so people could hear the mayor speak, which didn’t work.

He ended taking some spray to one of his eyes and said it “burned like fire.”

He wondered why the presser was moved inside: “Why did they do that? Why were we moved? I don’t think that would have happened if it (the conference) happened in the park.”

Darryl Morin, national president of Forward Latino and a main organizer of the press conference, said things were set up and "ready to go" when they mayor's office called to say the conference should move inside due to the size of the crowd

—Talis Shelbourne, Sophie Carson and Elliot Hughes