Teenager arrested after 2 killed during Kenosha unrest over Jacob shooting
A white, 17-year-old Illinois resident was arrested Wednesday after two people were shot to death during a third straight night of protests in Kenosha over the police shooting of a black man, Jacob Blake.
Kyle Rittenhouse of Antioch, Illinois, was taken into custody in Illinois on suspicion of first-degree intentional homicide. Antioch is located about 15 to 20 miles (about 24 to 32 kilometers) from Kenosha, just across the state border.
Two people were killed Tuesday night and a third was wounded in an attack apparently carried out by a young white man who was caught on cellphone video opening fire in the middle of the street with a semi-automatic rifle.
"I just killed somebody," the gunman could be heard saying at one point during the rampage that erupted just before midnight.
In the wake of the killings, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers authorized the sending of 500 members of the National Guard to Kenosha, doubling the number of troops. The governor's office said he is working with other states to bring in additional National Guard members and law officers. Authorities also announced a 7 p.m. curfew, an hour earlier than the night before.
The governor called this a "senseless tragedy" in a statement and urged everyone "who choose to exercise their First Amendment rights" to do it "peacefully and safely."
Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth told The New York Times his office is investigating reason for the shooting. It is unclear whether it was resulted from a conflict between demonstrators and a group of men with weapons who were protecting businesses.
In Washington, the Justice Department said it is sending in the FBI and federal marshals in response to the unrest. The White House said up to 2,000 National Guard troops would be made available.
And in Orlando, the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, a team based in Wisconsin, didn't take the floor for their playoff game against the Magic. It was later announced that all three NBA playoff games scheduled for Wednesday were postponed, with players around the league choosing to boycott in their strongest statement yet against racial injustice.
It has been three nights since the protesters demonstrated in the streets after police shot Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, seven times in the back as he tried to enter an SUV with his children in the vehicle.
The shooting paralyzed Blake from his waist down, and his family attorney said it would take a "miracle" for Blake to ever walk again.
Ben Crump, who is representing Blake's family, said police shot Blake after he had tried to break up an argument between two women. The police have not provided any information on what led to the shooting.
Two Kenosha officers have been placed on administrative leave. The shooting is being investigated by the Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley's office and the Wisconsin Justice Department's division of criminal investigation.
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