President Trump to visit Kenosha, plans to meet with law enforcement, survey damage

KENOSHA, Wis. - President Donald Trump will visit Kenosha on Tuesday, Sept. 1 to meet with law enforcement and survey the damage left by unrest in the wake of the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake, a White House staffer said Saturday.

Judd Deere, a deputy assistant to the president, announced the visit on Twitter.

Unrest in Kenosha

Kenosha Police Chief Dan Miskinis said somewhere around 50 people have been arrested for a variety of offenses including curfew, weapons charges, drunk charges, illegal fireworks, and even possession of a flame thrower amid unrest that followed the officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake.

As of Tuesday, officials with the Kenosha Fire Department said there were 37 fires, combined with "emergency medical services for numerous accidents, assaults and injuries with traumas of varying degrees, including a shooting" were "resource-intensive." 

Kenosha fire officials said a police officer was hit with a mortar round and some firefighters were treated for dehydration and over-exertion.  There were multiple calls for traumatic injuries and multiple civilians with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.

READ MORE: Coverage of the Officer-involved shooting of Jacob Blake

Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth noted for reporters that things are improving -- and that business owners are rebuilding. 

"When all of this calms down, like I hope it's trending toward right now, if you really go outside this small area right here, life goes on as normal in Kenosha County and the City of Kenosha," Sheriff Beth said. "The part that's damaged and hurt, we're all going to work together and rebuild."

Protesters fatally shot

 

Prosecutors in Kenosha County Thursday, Aug. 27 charged 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse from Illinois in the fatal shooting of two protesters and the wounding of a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin, during a night of unrest following the weekend police shooting of Jacob Blake.

The attack late Tuesday was largely caught on cellphone video and posted online 

Kyle Rittenhouse faces six counts, including three homicide-related charges. 

He would face a mandatory life sentence if convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, the most serious crime in Wisconsin.

A judge agreed Friday to delay for a month a decision on whether the 17-year-old should be returned to Wisconsin to face charges

Investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake

Blake was shot seven times in the back by Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey, who was responding to a domestic abuse call, on Sunday. Aug. 23.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) on Friday released new details in the shooting. 

The DOJ released the names of the other officers at the scene -- and indicated two Taser attempts by two different officers failed before Sheskey fired his weapon.

DOJ officials said Kenosha police were dispatched to a residence near 28th Street and 40th Avenue after a female caller reported that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises.

During the incident, officers attempted to arrest Blake, 29.

DOJ officials said after the initial attempt to arrest Blake, Kenosha Police Officer Rusten Sheskey deployed a Taser. When that attempt failed, Kenosha Police Officer Vincent Arenas also deployed his taser, however, that Taser was also not successful in stopping Blake, according to the DOJ.

Blake then walked around his vehicle, opened the driver’s side door and leaned forward, officials said. While holding onto Blake’s shirt, Officer Sheskey fired his service weapon seven times "into Mr. Blake’s back."

No other officer fired their weapon, DOJ officials noted.

During the investigation following the initial incident, Blake "admitted that he had a knife in his possession," officials said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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