During an interview on Wednesday, Attorney General William Barr weighed in on the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin, explaining how the situation was different than what happened to George Floyd.
When asked by CNN host Wolf Blitzer how he thought African American parents around the U.S. explain to their kids what happened to Jacob Blake and George Floyd, Barr responded, “Well, I’m not going to talk about Blake, the Blake case.”
“Why not?” Blitzer asked.
“Because I think it’s different than the Floyd case,” Barr responded.
“What’s different?” Blitzer pressed.
“Well, Floyd was already subdued, incapacitated, in handcuffs, and was not armed,” Barr responded. “In the Jacob case, he was in the midst of committing a felony, and he was armed. So, that’s a big difference.”
When Blitzer said that Blake’s family said that Blake was not armed, Barr responded, “Well, I’ve stated what I believe to be the difference and that’s why I don’t want to talk about them as if they’re interchangeable, okay?”
The Wisconsin Department of Justice said that Blake had a knife on the floorboard of the vehicle that he was entering as he resisted law enforcement.
The Kenosha Professional Police Association (KPPA) disputed the narrative that Blake was unarmed, saying in a statement, “The recent officer-involved shooting in Kenosha has produced a variety of feelings and narratives; most of which are wholly inaccurate. The purely fictional depiction of events coming from those without direct knowledge of what actually occurred is incredibly harmful, and provides no benefit to anyone whatsoever, other than to perpetuate a misleading narrative.”
“Mr. Blake was not unarmed. He was armed with a knife,” the statement continued. “The officers did not see the knife initially. The officers first saw him holding the knife while they were on the passenger side of the vehicle. The “main” video circulating on the internet shows Mr. Blake with the knife in his left hand when he rounds the front of the car. The officers issued repeated commands for Mr. Blake to drop the knife. He did not comply.”
Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh wrote the following:
According to the criminal complaint, which can be found here, Blake’s ex-girlfriend says that he entered her house uninvited early in the morning on Sunday, May 3, 2020. She reports that she woke to find him in her room, standing over her. What happened next, by the woman’s account, is downright chilling:
LNB stated at about 6AM she was woken up by the father of her children, Jacob Blake, herein known as the defendant, standing over her saying, “I want my shit.” As LNB lay there, on her back, the defendant, suddenly and without warning, reached his hand between her legs, penetrated her vaginally with a finger, pull it out and sniffed it, and said, “Smells like you’ve been with other men.”
The complaint says that Blake, after allegedly committing this violent and degrading act against the victim, immediately left the room, took her key and her debit card, and drove away in her vehicle. She says he made two withdrawals with the stolen card. The complaint then provides some background insight into the relationship between the victim and Blake:
LNB stated she and the defendant have three children together but have never resided together in the eight years they have been on and off. LNB stated the defendant is unemployed, has no vehicle, and would not tell LNB where he was currently living. LNB stated over the past eight years the defendant has physically assaulted her around twice a year when he drinks heavily.
KPAA said that officers were aware that an arrest warrant had been issued for Blake before they arrived at the residence where the shooting happened. Blake had been charged with felony 3rd degree sexual assault, criminal trespassing, and disorderly conduct.
This article has been updated to include additional information.