Democrat Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers rejected the Trump administration’s offer to send in hundreds of National Guard troops into Kenosha to maintain law and order on Tuesday, which came just hours before two people were shot and killed during another night of violence in the city.
“Governor should call in the National Guard in Wisconsin,” Trump tweeted. “It is ready, willing, and more than able. End problem FAST!”
White House Senior Communications Advisor Ben Williamson revealed more details of what happened, writing: “Local law enforcement in Wisconsin have told the White House they need at least 750 National Guard tonight. Governor Evers is only sending 250. Today, Mark Meadows called the Governor and offered 500 additional guard to meet the police needs. Governor Evers declined.”
Local law enforcement in Wisconsin have told the White House they need at least 750 National Guard tonight. Governor Evers is only sending 250. Today, Mark Meadows called the Governor and offered 500 additional guard to meet the police needs.
Governor Evers declined. https://t.co/ceqpDj3W2n
— Ben Williamson (@_WilliamsonBen) August 26, 2020
Evers’ decision to reject sending in the help that local law enforcement reportedly indicated that they needed proved to be deadly as at least two people were killed during a shooting.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported:
A widely shared video shows a man sprinting into a car lot at 63th Street and Sheridan Road, carrying a long gun. Someone pursuing him appears to throw something toward him. Multiple gunshots are heard.
Another video, posted to Twitter by Shelby Talcott of the Daily Caller, shows a gunshot victim lying in the parking lot. The victim, who appears to be the man who had been pursuing the gunman, has been shot in the head. Bystanders were applying pressure to the wound.
In a later video posted by Talcott, bystanders were carrying the victim across Sheridan Road toward the hospital.
A Molotov cocktail appears to have been thrown at the shooter in Kenosha before he fired at the first victim. pic.twitter.com/DPVgjepDsb
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 26, 2020
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel continued:
Other videos show a man who seems to be the same man wielding a long gun while running north on Sheridan Road, being pursued by people screaming that he shot someone. He falls to the ground and fires the gun at people who seem to be trying to disarm him. While on the ground, he appears to shoot two of them, one in the torso and another in the arm.
The victim who was shot in the arm ran away from the shooter, bleeding heavily and screaming repeatedly that he needed a medic. More gunshots followed. A bystander who was live-streaming helped the victim with tying a tourniquet around his arm.
BREAKING: as the shooter fled the scene to surrender to the police
BLM rioters attacked him, he then fired back over what appears to be a scuffle to get control of his weapon
Details are still unclear. I was up front on the initial shooting only
pic.twitter.com/tB7O2JKUUn— ELIJAH RIOT (@ElijahSchaffer) August 26, 2020
Rep. Bryan Steil (R-WI) confirmed that the state’s Democrat governor rejected help from the Trump administration.
“Yesterday, Governor Evers sent 250 National Guard to Kenosha,” Steil said in a statement. “This was woefully insufficient. Yesterday, I asked the President for additional assistance. He agreed. The offer was rejected by Governor Evers. Again, I call on the Governor to accept the President’s offer of assistance, supported by Kenosha officials, which includes National Guard from other states and federal law enforcement officers. The violence needs to stop now.”
My statement on the third night of violence in #Kenosha:@realDonaldTrump @MarkMeadows @GovEvers pic.twitter.com/OcV9dC4nZH
— Bryan Steil (@RepBryanSteil) August 26, 2020
The violence in Kenosha, which has a Democrat mayor, entered its third night last night after being sparked by a police-involved shooting.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows backed up Williamson’s account of what happened during an appearance on Fox News last night.
“I got a call today from [Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis.,] that represents that district, from Senator Johnson as well, really just pleading for help, said that the local sheriff and mayor and police chief need some additional assistance,” White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said. “I got on the phone right away, and called the governor, and offered assistance in the form of additional National Guard help.”
Meadows added, “The president was on the phone with the governor today. … We have National Guard standing by, that if the general for the National Guard [in Kenosha] needs additional help, we’re there to do it, but today, that request was denied by the governor.”