President and CEO of the NAACP Issues Statement Condemning Decision in the Shooting of Jacob Blake
Washington, D.C. — The NAACP released the following statement regarding Kenosha county official's decision not to charge Rusten Sheskey with the shooting of Jacob Blake:
"Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley's failure to bring substantial charges against the officer who shot Jacob Blake causes pain for far too many Americans still reeling from a pandemic and the countless black deaths due to police brutality.
The district attorney's decision is foul and shameful. It is yet another stark reminder of the free-willing atrocities committed against Black people at the hands of those entrusted to maintain public safety. Atrocities committed against the people of this country by the authorities cannot and should not go unanswered. The justice system failed Jacob Blake and, as such, failed us.
At this moment, the work of the American people is clear: we must continue to fight, organize, and mobilize against police brutality. Far too many Black lives have been damaged or lost due to the egregious malpractice of police officers, elected officials, and the justice system as a whole. While the visions of Jacob Blake, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless others play over and over in our minds, we must not grow weary until we've achieved police liability and substantive change is realized. If there was ever a time for us to unite against a common threat to the existence of Black people, it is now. Our fight for justice remains unyielding.
Our thoughts and prayers remain with Jacob Blake, his family and friends."
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About NAACP
Founded in 1909 in response to the ongoing violence against Black people around the country, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) is the largest and most pre-eminent civil rights organization in the nation. We have over 2,200 units and branches across the nation, along with well over 2M activists. Our mission is to secure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights in order to eliminate race-based discrimination and ensure the health and well-being of all persons.
In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP.
NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but separated in 1957 to become a completely separate entity. It is recognized as the nation's first civil and human rights law organization and shares our commitment to equal rights.