We now add Jacob Blake in Wisconsin to the long and painful list of Black men shot by police. Police are not getting it, but we do. Please see my colleague @JRaphling ‘s report https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/08/12/us-14-recommendations-fundamental-police-reform

There are 6 factors key to analyzing and addressing what happened in Wisconsin: Factor 1- Police, by their nature, resort to force as a solution. Should the Kenosha police have been on the scene? Our research shows that less policing means less chances for brutal encounters.

Factor 2- Police perceive any disobedience/disrespect as aggression against them. Shooting a man in the back for walking away from them and getting in his car thus becomes an option for a response that may, arguably, be deemed as “reasonable.”

Factor 3-The Kenosha police will seek to justify the shooting of Jacob Blake by claiming they feared he was reaching for a gun. They will say that once he got in the car, he could have committed a dangerous act. Based on a possibility, they pre-emptively attempted to kill him.

Factor 4- The level of aggressive police response goes up when the person is Black. https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/09/12/us-how-abusive-biased-policing-destroys-lives

Factor 5-This shooting was captured on videotape. What would the story be if it was not filmed? Would there be any real investigation or discipline?

Factor 6- The behavior of Kenosha police is “gangster stuff.” Practically an execution, in front of Jacob Blake’s kids, broad daylight, in front of neighbors. The message: “we’re in charge, don’t mess with us, don’t disobey, don’t dare walk away; killing you is nothing to us.”