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Jacob Blake needs a 'miracle' to walk again after shooting, says lawyer: 'The bullets severed his spinal cord'

'His family believes in miracles, but the medical diagnosis right now is that he is paralyzed'
UPDATED AUG 26, 2020
Jacob Blake (GoFundMe)
Jacob Blake (GoFundMe)

KENOSHA, WISCONSIN: Jacob Blake, who was shot repeatedly as he attempted to get into a car where his three children were sitting will need a "miracle" to walk again, his family has revealed. Blake, 29, was shot at least seven times in the back by an officer from the Kenosha Police Department after they responded to the 2800 block of 40th Street on Sunday, August 23, around 5.11 pm on reports of a domestic incident. 

The shooting has sparked widespread riots and looting in the city, with crowds setting vehicles on fire, vandalizing the courthouse, and gathering outside the Kenosha Police Department building demanding justice for the father.

A man walks towards law enforcement with his hands up in Kenosha (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Blake, who was rushed to the Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee in a serious condition after the shooting, is still recovering, but his family has painted a grim picture of the road ahead for the 29-year-old. Lawyers representing him and his family have revealed that at least one of the bullets went through his spinal cord and resulted in a partial or complete severing, which means he is now paralyzed. They said doctors are unsure if he will ever walk again.

"His family believes in miracles, but the medical diagnosis right now is that he is paralyzed and, because those bullets severed his spinal cord and shattered some of his vertebrae, it is going to take a miracle for Jacob Blake Jr to ever walk again," lawyer Ben Crump shared at a press conference on Tuesday, August 25.

Crump, a civil rights attorney who has found himself in the national headlines in recent times, is also representing the families of other Black men who have been killed in racially-motivated shootings. These include George Floyd, Trayvon Martin, and most recently, Trayford Pellerin, a 31-year-old Louisiana man who, like Blake, was shot several times in the back by police officers last week.

Julia Jackson, mother of Jacob Blake, speaks during a news conference (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Blake's lawyers also shared that the shooting had left the 29-year-old with holes in his stomach, an arm injury, and damage to his kidney and liver. Most of his colon and small intestine had to be removed because of injuries as well.

His mother, Julia Jackson, spoke at the press conference as well and said her son had been "fighting for his life" but that he would not have approved of the violence that is unfolding in the city because of his shooting. "As I was riding through here, the city, I noticed a lot of damage," she said, fighting back tears. "It doesn’t reflect my son or my family. If Jacob knew what was going on as far as that goes — the violence and the destruction — he would be very unpleased. I am really asking and encouraging everyone in Wisconsin and abroad to take a moment and examine your heart... do Jacob justice on this level and examine your heart. We need healing."

Kenosha County had declared a state of emergency curfew as protests increased in intensity and crowds clashed with police officers. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, who had released a statement condemning Blake's shooting, has said he will be sending more National Guard troops to Kenosha to protect state buildings and support first responders and firefighters. The protests have also spread to other cities, including Portland, Oregon and Minneapolis.

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