Black man shot in the back seven times by Wisconsin police

UNITED KINGDOM

A black man is in a serious condition after being shot seven times at close range by police in Wisconsin.

The man, identified by the state governor as Jacob Blake, was flown by helicopter to hospital on Sunday evening after being shot repeatedly in the back in the city of Kenosha.

Footage circulating on social media showed the incident with Mr Blake, who does not appear to be carrying a weapon, seen walking towards a car as two officers followed him with their guns drawn.

As Mr Blake opens the car door, one of the officers can be seen grabbing his vest and shooting him in the back.

Seven shots can be heard followed by the car’s horn continuously beeping.

Civil rights lawyer Benjamin Crump, who represents George Floyd’s family, said Mr Blake’s three sons were in the car when he was shot.

Police said they had been called to a domestic incident at 5.11pm but gave no further details as to what led to the shooting that followed.

Witnesses said Mr Blake was trying to break up a fight between two women when the officers arrived.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave, the Wisconsin Department of Justice said early on Monday.

Wisconsin state governor Tony Evers wrote in a tweet: “We stand against excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging with black Wisconsinites.”

Wisconsin’s division of criminal investigation is looking into the shooting and said it will seek to “provide a report of the incident to the prosecutor within 30 days”.