Brady Statement on the Shooting of Jacob Blake

Washington, D.C., August 25, 2020 - Following the shooting of Jacob Blake by police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin on Sunday, August 23, Brady joins the calls for an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into this shooting, reiterating that police violence is gun violence. The officers involved must be held accountable.

Brady Director of Racial Justice Kelly Sampson shared:

“The video of police shooting Jacob Blake is, unfortunately, another testament to the widespread and systematic brutality that Black Americans across the country face at the hands of the state. That Blake’s children apparently witnessed their father being shot, multiple times, sadly underscores how police violence perpetuates cycles of trauma.

Despite being roughly 13 percent of the U.S. population, Black Americans are overwhelmingly more likely to be shot and killed by the police while unarmed. And police are more likely to believe an unarmed Black or Latinx person has a gun than a White person. These facts aren’t just abstractions, but as we saw splashed across cable news screens today, these facts represent real people and real pain.

I hope that Jacob Blake survives because his life matters.”

Brady Milwaukee Program Manager Anneliese Dickman shared:

“The video of police shooting Jacob Blake while his back was turned is gut-wrenching, but sadly not shocking. As we have heard many times this year in particular, being shocked is a privilege. It is why Wisconsin cannot wait to take action. Gov. Evers has called our legislature into a special session to address policing and police brutality. This is long overdue. But, Wisconsinites have not forgotten the 2019 special session to address gun violence where the Majority Leaders gaveled the session out with no debate and no votes. We cannot accept this inaction again and we must demand that our elected officials seriously address police violence in our state.”

The Team ENOUGH Executive Council shared:

“Once again our nation woke up to viral videos of police officers shooting a Black man. We cannot accept more inaction when confronted by the daily reality that people of color in this country, and Black Americans in particular, are subject to brutality and violence. We must remain clear that our laws, including those that govern policing, are entwined with systemic racism and we therefore need system-wide change. As the generation that will be forced to deal with the continuing legacy of police violence, such as engrained community violence and trauma, we know the time to act is now. We need justice for Jacob Blake and for the many other Black men and women whose stories do not go viral or whose attacks are not filmed.”