Jacob Blake Paralyzed From Waist Down After Police Shooting, Father Says

By Breanna Edwards, Essence

25 August 20

Doctor's still don't know if Jacob Blake's injury is permanent as the family continues to try to make sense of the shooting.

he father of Jacob Blake says that his son is paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by Kenosha, Wisconsin police officers multiple times in the back. 

Blake’s father, who is also named Jacob, told the Chicago Sun-Times that on the morning of the shooting, he had just been talking to his son about celebrating his grandchild’s 8th birthday. 

By the evening, the older Blake had gotten the news that his son had been shot by Kenosha police officers. He then saw the graphic video of the shooting.

“What justified all those shots?” the older Blake said. “What justified doing that in front of my grandsons? What are we doing?”

Blake’s father is now making the trip from Charlotte, N.C. to be with his son.

“I want to put my hand on my son’s cheek and kiss him on his forehead, and then I’ll be OK,” his father said. “I’ll kiss him with my mask. The first thing I want to do is touch my son.”

According to the report, doctor’s still don’t know if Blake’s injury is permanent.