The police officer who shot Jacob Blake has returned to work and will not face any disciplinary charges, according to the Kenosha, Wisconsin, police department.
According to a statement from Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis, the officer in question returned from administrative leave in late March.
“The Kenosha Police use of force incident on August 23, 2020 was investigated by an outside agency; has been reviewed by an independent expert as well as the Kenosha County District Attorney. Officer Sheskey was not charged with any wrong doing,” the statement read.
“He acted within the law and was consistent with training. This incident was also reviewed internally. Officer Sheskey was found to have been acting within policy and will not be subjected to discipline,” the statement continued.
“As of March 31, 2021, Officer Sheskey has returned from administrative leave. Although this incident has been reviewed on multiple levels, I know that some will not be pleased with the outcome; however, given the facts, the only lawful and appropriate decision was made,” the statement concluded.
Media Release pic.twitter.com/wdq5QaNNyk
— Kenosha Police Dept. (@KenoshaPolice) April 13, 2021
The announcement sparked a backlash on Twitter, with “Jacob Blake” trending. Rosanna Arquette tweeted, “The police officer who shot Jacob Blake and left him paralyzed is [back] at work I feel sick.”
The police officer who shot Jacob Blake and left him paralyzed is Back at work I feel sick
— ✌🏼rosanna arquette (@RoArquette) April 13, 2021
The Daily Beast reported on the announcement, with “The Kenosha cop who shot Jacob Blake returns to work like nothing ever happened.”
The Kenosha cop who shot Jacob Blake returns to work like nothing ever happened https://t.co/7hPZtQolTC
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) April 13, 2021
NBC Washington’s Shawn Yancy tweeted, “The officer who shot [Jacob Blake] 7 times in his back leaving him paralyzed… will NOT be disciplined.”
The officer who shot #JacobBlake 7 times in his back leaving him paralyzed… will NOT be disciplined. https://t.co/YYkSknavuW
— Shawn Yancy (@ShawnYancyTV) April 13, 2021
The Daily Wire reported last year:
Police Officer Rusten Sheskey said he shot Blake “because he was afraid Blake, while attempting to flee the scene, was trying to kidnap a child in the backseat of the vehicle,” CNN reported in an article titled, “Lawyer says cop shot Jacob Blake after hearing a mother’s desperate plea: ‘He’s got my kid. He’s got my keys.’”
Sheskey’s attorney, Brendan Matthews, noted that if Blake had been allowed to drive away and something happened to the child, the entire narrative would be about why the officer didn’t do something to stop Blake.
According to the New York Post at the time, Blake had a warrant out for his arrest at the time of the incident.
The New York Post reported:
Blake is accused in the criminal complaint, which was obtained by The Post, of breaking into the home of a woman he knew and sexually assaulting her.
The victim, who is only identified by her initials in the paperwork, told police she was asleep in bed with one of her children when Blake came into the room around 6 a.m. and allegedly said, “I want my sh-t,” the record states.
She told cops Blake then used his finger to sexually assault her, sniffed it and said, “Smells like you’ve been with other men,” the criminal complaint alleges.
The officer who took her statement said she “had a very difficult time telling him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her.”
Soon after Blake was shot by police, violent riots erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin, resulting in over $50 million in damage.