NBA, NFL stars speak up against brutal shooting of Jacob Blake by Kenosha police officer

The NBA and NFL players have expressed their frustration after yet another African-American becoming a victim of racial profiling in the United States. On Sunday, Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old unarmed African-American was shot multiple times in the back by Kenosha police while he was trying to get back into his vehicle. According to reports, Blake was immediately taken to a hospital in Milwaukee where he remains in serious condition. 

The shooting once again sparked protests in Wisconsin with nearly 100 people gathering outside Kenosha County Public Safety Building, chanting "No justice, no peace." Officials were forced to use tear gas to subdue the protests.  

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NBA, NFL stars react to Jacob Blake shooting

Footage of the tragic shooting was shared to social media by civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who has reportedly been retained by Blake's family to represent them. Crump's tweet was repeatedly shared by NBA and NFL stars, who expressed their disgust over the actions of the police officers - who are yet to be identified. 

Los Angeles Lakers' Kyle Kuzma demanded the arrest of the police officers who were involved in the shooting:

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell shared Crump's tweet, writing Blake’s shooting is yet another example of why black people “don’t feel safe" in the US.

Milwaukee Bucks released a statement on Monday which read: "We firmly against reoccurring issues of excessive use of force and immediate escalation when engaging the Black community. Our organisation will continue to stand for all Black lives as we demand accountability and systemic change on behalf of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sylville Smith, Ernest Lacy, Dontre Hamilton, Tony Robinson, Joel Acevedo and countless other victims.”

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer also addressed the shooting during his press conference on Monday:

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Several NFL players took to social media in the aftermath of the incident, demanding justice for Jacob Blake. 

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Jacob Blake was shot in the back while he was entering his SUV. His three children - 3, 5 and 8 -- were in the car, Ben Crump told reporters. The shooting was captured on video by a bystander, Raysean White. The video shared to social media by Blake's attorney has already gotten over 7.5 million views and more than 60,000 retweets. 

Tony Evers, Governor of Wisconsin, said he and his wife are hoping for Blake's recovery:

As per the statement released by the District of Justice, the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. It, so far, remains unclear as to why the officers confronted Blake in the first place and what instigated the shooting.

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(Image Source: Official Twitter Handles, AP)