Former Vice President and Democratic Presidential Nominee Joe Biden issued a statement Monday morning on the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
"Yesterday in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Jacob Blake was shot seven times in the back as police attempted to restrain him from getting into his car," the statement reads. "His children watched from inside the car and bystanders watched in disbelief. And this morning, the nation wakes up yet again with grief and outrage that yet another Black American is a victim of excessive force. This calls for an immediate, full and transparent investigation and the officers must be held accountable."
A short video circulating on social media shows a man, presumably Blake, walking toward a vehicle. The video shows that police shoot the man in the back as he opened the driver's door of the car.
"These shots pierce the soul of our nation," stated Biden. "Jill and I pray for Jacob’s recovery and for his children."
"Equal justice has not been real for Black Americans and so many others," the statement continues. "We are at an inflection point. We must dismantle systemic racism. It is the urgent task before us. 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."
Protests erupted after the shooting Sunday. Fires were set to dumpsters meant to block off roads in the area. The Kenosha County Courthouse and Administration Building were both closed Monday due to overnight damage from the unrest.
