Military

District Attorney: No Charges Against Kenosha Officer Who Shot Jacob Blake

January 6, 2021Joshua Skovlund
no charges Kenosha officer Rusten Sheskey

Screen grab from YouTube.

There will be no charges brought against Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer Rusten Sheskey, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announced in a two-hour press conference Tuesday. Sheskey shot Jacob Blake multiple times during an incident in August 2020.  


No advance notice was given regarding the decision due to security concerns, Graveley said. He explained that his office reviewed hundreds of pages of police reports, more than 40 hours of video, and numerous other sources of evidence during the last several months before making the determination not to file charges. 


Sheskey will not face prosecution because it would be difficult to prove wrong the argument that the officer was defending himself, Graveley said. He also said there would be no charges brought against Blake regarding the incident. According to Graveley, the complete investigative file is publicly available to provide transparency regarding the district attorney’s conclusion. 


District Attorney Michael Graveley, no charges Kenosha officer
During a press conference in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Jan. 5, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael Graveley announces the decision not to file charges against Officer Rusten Sheskey in connection with the August 2020 shooting of Jacob Blake. Screenshot from YouTube.

“The challenge now, and part of what I hope to begin in my conversation today, is rather than burning things down, can moments of a tragedy like this be an opportunity to build things,” Graveley said. “There are times and circumstances that are tragic, where communities in their healing process can begin to make themselves a better community that allows for all points of view and allows all the parties, even those who feel so disenfranchised, have a voice.”


Graveley continued: “And then I don’t want to leave out the officers whose entire careers, in fact their whole lives, have been judged by a few seconds that they conducted themselves on this shift, and to their families because there’s a tragedy there. They’ve clearly been impacted in the several months that this decision has been awaited.”


Multiple fires burned throughout the night in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Aug. 24, 2020, the day after Blake was shot by Sheskey. Screenshot from YouTube.

Various cell phone videos emerged of the incident, showing Sheskey and his partner trying to detain Blake, resulting in a physical altercation on the ground. After failing to submit to the officers’ initial use of a taser, Blake walked toward the driver’s-side door of a vehicle while holding a knife and refusing to drop it.


In multiple videos Sheskey and his partner can be seen following Blake around the front of the vehicle. Sheskey tried to grab Blake’s shirt, and then Blake attempted to reach into the vehicle. Sheskey then fired seven shots at Blake, wounding him. Blake survived the shooting, which left him partially paralyzed, and is reported to be in continual pain from his healing injuries. 


Controversy over the nature of the shooting included accusations of racism and police brutality, spurring protests and riots throughout Kenosha and adding fuel to the national outcry over the May 25, 2020, death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. Several portions of Kenosha were damaged or destroyed during the riots, as hundreds of people demanded the arrest and charging of the officers involved in the shooting.



Joshua Skovlund
Joshua Skovlund

Joshua Skovlund is a former staff writer for Coffee or Die. He covered the 75th anniversary of D-Day in France, multinational military exercises in Germany, and civil unrest during the 2020 riots in Minneapolis. Born and raised in small-town South Dakota, he grew up playing football and soccer before serving as a forward observer in the US Army. After leaving the service, he worked as a personal trainer while earning his paramedic license. After five years as in paramedicine, he transitioned to a career in multimedia journalism. Joshua is married with two children.

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
From the Team Room to Team Room Design: An Operator’s Creative Journey

BRCC partners with Team Room Design for an exclusive T-shirt release!

Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved