The images had shocked part of the United States and caused riots.
The police officers involved in the shootings which seriously injured the African-American Jacob Blake will not be prosecuted, announced Tuesday the prosecutor in charge of this case which had rekindled anti-racist anger in the country at the end of the summer of 2020.
"Based on the facts and the law, we have decided that no charges will be brought" against the three officers involved in the tragedy, local prosecutor Michael Graveley told a press conference .
Anticipating this announcement, the Kenosha City Council, in the state of Wisconsin, declared a state of emergency in this city of 100,000 inhabitants of the Great Lakes region.
500 members of the National Guard are ready to be deployed.
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Who is Jacob Blake, the new symbol of police violence in the United States?
On August 23, Jacob Blake, 29, was shot several times in the back in front of his three children as he tried to get into a car.
Seriously injured, he lost the use of his legs.
The scene, filmed by a witness, was quickly put online.
The case sparked three nights of riots in Kenosha and culminated on August 25 when a 17-year-old man linked to self-defense militias fired a semi-automatic rifle at three protesters, killing two.
His arrest the next day brought back a precarious calm.
The young man, Kyle Rittenhouse, was later released on bail of two million dollars, around 1.75 million euros.
On Tuesday, he pleaded not guilty.
VIDEO. United States: police fired seven shots in the back of a black American
The affair, which took place just over two months before the US presidential election, has been highly politicized by Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden.
The world of sport has also been very involved, several NBA games, the North American basketball championship, for example having been postponed.
The country has seen a historic protest movement against racism and police violence since the death of George Floyd, an African-American suffocated by a white policeman on May 25 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
"Three systems of justice: one for blacks, one for the police and one for other Americans"
Prosecutor Michael Graveley, however, felt that his role was not to enter this discussion but to verify whether the agents had made a legitimate use of force.
According to him, the author of the shootings, Rusten Sheskey, was in a state of self-defense.
Jacob Blake was the subject of an arrest warrant for domestic violence when his former partner contacted the police, he said.
When the agents wanted to stop him, "he resisted with a knife".
According to him, an officer fired when the young man made a "quick" spinning motion towards him, which he perceived as "a threat".
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These arguments have not convinced defenders of Jacob Blake.
“They are trying to justify the unjustifiable,” denounced family lawyer B'Ivory Lamarr.
“It's a huge disappointment.
This shows that in 2021 there are still three justice systems: one for blacks, one for the police, and one for other Americans.
"
Kenosha (Wisconsin, United States), Monday.
Prosecutor Michael Graveley speaks to the media.
AFP / Scott Olson
For the powerful association for the defense of civil rights ACLU, "it is not a surprise" and it confirms that "the penal system works to the detriment of black people".
"It's a slap," commented Justin Blake, one of the victim's uncles, during a press briefing.
“What is happening perpetuates systemic racism.
He then took the lead in a march in memory of his nephew.
Basketball player LeBron James speaks of a "blow to the heart and guts"
The US government recalled for its part that an investigation by the Federal Police (FBI) is still underway to determine whether the civil rights of Jacob Blake have been violated.
Depending on the findings of this investigation, new charges may be required against the police.
In addition to the reactions of relatives, lawyers and the ACLU, the world of American basketball reacted to the decision taken on Tuesday.
“Finding out what happened today was a blow to my heart and guts,” said Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
It's hard, he says, for "every black person […] but also in the white community, for
(people)
who see times like this happening."
Earlier, he relayed a quote from Martin Luther King, a historic black American civil rights activist murdered in 1968: “An unjust law is not a law at all.
NOT AT ALL !!!
".
The Milwaukee Bucks team also reacted after this court ruling. “The Bucks strongly condemn the excessive use of force by law enforcement. The past year has shed light on the racial injustices facing our African American communities and other marginalized communities. These recurring cases of excessive use of force must end. As a club, we remain firmly committed to addressing issues of social and racial injustice and making meaningful change. "
