CORRECTION: WRN incorrectly used Janesville instead of Kenosha in the opening sentence below. There were no Janesville officers present and the officer was with the Kenosha Police Department.
Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul has identified the Janesville Kenosha police officer who shot Jacob Blake last Sunday.
Officer Rusten Sheskey has been with department for 7 years. Officers responding to a call from Blake’s girlfriend attempted to arrest Blake, and deployed a taser which was ineffective. Blake was leaning into the open door of his vehicle, and while holding Blake’s shirt Sheskey fired 7 times into his back. Kaul said Blake admitted to having a knife. “He acknowledged that he had a knife in his possession at some point,” Kaul said during a press conference on Wednesday.
Investigation update: pic.twitter.com/zByzLx4qYe
— Attorney General Josh Kaul (@WisDOJ) August 26, 2020
The knife was located in the vehicle. Kaul would not say whether officers were ever aware Blake had it. No other weapons were found. Kaul also would not say whether Sheskey has any prior disciplinary record.
Blake remains hospitalized in Milwaukee. His family says he is paralyzed from the waist down. Sheskey and other officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
DOJ’s Division of Criminal Investigation is overseeing the investigation into Blake’s shooting, and will refer its findings to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s office for a final decision on any charges.