TOPLINE

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden issued a statement Monday declaring that "the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force," and called for an "immediate, full and transparent investigation" into the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was reportedly unarmed when he was shot multiple times in the back Sunday afternoon in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden delivers his acceptance speech on the fourth night of the ... [+]

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KEY FACTS

"These shots pierce the soul of our nation. Jill and I pray for Jacob's recovery and for his children," Biden wrote.

"Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others," Biden added. "We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism. It is the urgent task before us."

Kamala Harris, Biden's running mate, also called for an investigation, stating that the officers should be held accountable.

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice, the officers involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave.

"The police who shot Jacob Blake in the back seven times must be fired, arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Sen. Bernie Sanders tweeted. "Congress cannot wait any longer to act forcefully to end the horrific violence against Black Americans at the hands of police."

President Donald Trump, who spoke for approximately a half-hour Monday afternoon at the commencement of the Republican National Convention, did not address the shooting.

Key Background:

Police officers arrived at a residential street in Kenosha at around 5:11 pm on Sunday after receiving a 911 call related to a " domestic incident." The attorney representing the Blake family, who posted a video of the shooting, stated that Blake, 29, was leaving the scene after "breaking up a fight between two women." The footage shows Blake walking away from two officers who have their guns drawn. As Blake enters the driver's side door of his gray SUV, the nearest officer grabs the back of his shirt, and seven shots are fired. Blake slumps over in the vehicle. According to the attorney, Blake's three children, all under the age of 8, were in the car. Blake was transported to a Milwaukee-area hospital where he remains in serious condition, as of Monday afternoon. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, a Democrat, tweeted late Sunday night, "While we do not have all of the details yet, what we know for certain is that he is not the first black man or person to have been shot or injured or mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement in our state or our country." Pete Deates, president of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, said, "As always, the video currently circulating does not capture all the intricacies of a highly dynamic incident. We ask that you withhold from passing judgment until all the facts are known and released."

Tangent:

Athletes and coaches from both the NBA and NFL have spoken out about the shooting on social media. Utah Jazz star guard Donovan Mitchell, who is leading the NBA in scoring during the 2020 playoffs, tweeted: "F THE GAMES AND PLAYOFFS!!! THIS IS SICK AND IS A REAL PROBLEM WE DEMAND JUSTICE! ITS CRAZY I DONT HAVE ANY WORDS BUT WTF MAN! THIS IS WHY WE DONT FEEL SAFE!!!!" Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer opened up his pregame press conference on Monday by talking about Jacob Blake. "We need to have change," Budenholzer said. "We need to be better." LeBron James shared the video of the shooting on his Instagram story. New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara called the shooting " attempted murder."

Crucial Quote:

"We must fight to honor the ideals laid in the original American promise, which we are yet to attain: That all men and women are created equal, but more importantly that they must be treated equally," Biden said in his statement.

Further Reading:

Protests Erupt After Police Shoot A Black Man In The Back In Kenosha, Wisconsin (Forbes)

Wisconsin police shoot Black man as children watch from a vehicle, attorney says (CNN)

Update: Kenosha Officer Involved Shooting (DOJ)

I'm a New York-based news desk reporter for Forbes covering sports, politics and business. Please feel free to contact me via email (tsbeer7 [@] gmail.com) or Twitter

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