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Here’s What We Know About the Fatal Shooting During Kenosha Protest and Riots

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3 years ago

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  • Three people were shot and two were killed on Tuesday during another night of unrest in Kenosha, Wisconsin, following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.
  • On Wednesday, authorities arrested and charged a 17-year-old with first-degree intentional homicide in connection to the shootings, though they did not say if he was being charged for one or both of the fatalities.
  • Video footage from the night shows the suspect running from a group of people before seemingly shooting a man who lunged at him in the head. After that, he ran from the scene and was heard telling someone on the phone: “I just killed somebody.”
  • The footage then shows the suspect being chased by more people shouting “that’s the shooter.” He appeared to fall, and as three people rushed him, he fired three shots, hitting one person in the chest and another in the arm.
  • The suspect then ran down the block to where police were stationed, lifting his arms up in apparent surrender, but multiple police cars drove right past him, reportedly to go aid the victims. 

17-Year-Old Charged in Shooting

A 17-year-old was arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide on Wednesday in connection to three shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, that left two dead and one injured.

The shootings took place on Tuesday, marking the third night of unrest in the city following the shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was shot in the back by a police officer seven times. Despite an 8 p.m. county-mandated curfew, many people took to the streets, including groups of armed civilians.

Some of those individuals were described by the reporters as armed counterprotesters, but others were self-declared militia members who police also described as vigilante militia groups. 

Many of the armed people claimed they were there to protect the city, but as the night progressed, those groups could be seen facing off with protestors. Then at 11:45 p.m., three people were shot, according to police.

Timeline of Events

Little has been confirmed by authorities about what happened leading up to the incident and after it. However, because the alleged shooter appears in a number of videos taken throughout the night, some outlets have been able to piece together a timeline, including the New York Times, which has used available footage to track the suspect throughout the night.

A few hours before the shooting, the suspect appeared in several interviews with people on the ground, the Times reported.

One of the most circulated clips of the alleged shooter was taken by a videographer with the conservative blog The Daily Caller. 

“People are getting injured, our job is to protect this business, and part of my job is to also help people,” the suspect said in the video. “If there’s somebody hurt, I’m running into harm’s way. That’s why I have my rifle because I need to protect myself, obviously. I also have my med kit.”

According to the Times, about 15 minutes before the first shooting, police officers offered water to a group of armed civilians that included the alleged shooter. Video footage shows the suspect then walking up to police vehicles and talking to the officers.

“We appreciate you guys, we really do,” an officer told the group through a megaphone.

Six minutes after that, per the timeline outlined by the Times, footage showed the suspect being chased by a group of people into the parking lot of a car dealership. As he ran an unknown gunman fired into the air. The suspect turned towards the sound of that gunfire and someone lunged toward him from that direction.

He fired four times and seemed to hit the person in the head. Video taken shortly after that shows him running away from the person he just shot in the head while talking on the phone.

“I just killed somebody,” he can be heard saying as he runs.

Several people chased him as he fleed the scene, and some were heard shouting, “That’s the shooter!” 

While running, the suspect appeared to trip and fall. Three people came toward him and he fired four shots. One person seemed to be hit in the chest and fell to the ground, and another, who was carrying a handgun, was hit in the arm.

The Times also pointed out that the suspect’s gunfire was “mixed in with the sound of at least 16 other gunshots,” adding, “As this happens, police vehicles just one block away remain stationary during the gunfire.” 

The footage then showed the suspect walking towards the police vehicles with his hands up — seemingly surrendering. Bystanders can be heard yelling to the officers and saying he had just shot people, but multiple police vehicles drove by him without stopping, reportedly to go help the victims. 

Arrest & Background

The following morning, officials arrested the suspect in his hometown of Antioch, Illinois, just 20 minutes southwest Kenosha. 

Authorities have not yet said if he is being charged for both of the fatal shootings or just one. Notably, a police complaint filed in Illinois also said that after committing homicide in Wisconsin, the suspect fled “with the intent to avoid prosecution for that offense.” 

He is currently being held in Illinois awaiting a trial that would extradite him to Wisconsin, where he will be tried as an adult under the state’s laws.

Following the arrest, more information began to surface about the alleged shooter. According to BuzzFeed News, which looked into his social media profiles, the suspect appeared obsessed with law enforcement and was a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump and Blue Lives matter. The outlet also obtained a photo of him that appears to show him at a Trump rally at the start of this year. 

Authorities have not said if he was a part of any of the militia groups that were in Kenosha Tuesday night, and the Anti-Defamation League also told reporters that there is no indication from his social media accounts that he was connected to any extremist movements.

Editor’s Note: Rogue Rocket has chosen not to include the name or photo of the suspect in this case and therefor will not be linking to other sources, as they may contain these details.

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U.S.

White Supremacist Propaganda Reached Record High in 2022, ADL Finds

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2 weeks ago

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March 9, 2023

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 “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.

White supremacist propaganda in the U.S. reached record levels in 2022, according to a report published Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center of Extremism.

The ADL found over 6,700 cases of white supremacist propaganda in 2022, which marks a 38% jump from the nearly 4,900 cases the group found in 2021. It also represents the highest number of incidents ever recorded by the ADL. 

The propaganda tallied by the anti-hate organization includes the distribution of racist, antisemitic, and homophobic flyers, banners, graffiti, and more. This propaganda has spread substantially since 2018, when the ADL found just over 1,200 incidents. 

“There’s no question that white supremacists and antisemites are trying to terrorize and harass Americans with their propaganda,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash.” 

The report found that there were at least 50 white supremacist groups behind the spread of propaganda in 2022, but 93% of it came from just three groups. One of those groups was also responsible for 43% of the white supremacist events that took place last year. 

White supremacist events saw a startling uptick of their own, with the ADL documenting at least 167, a 55% jump from 2021. 

Propaganda was found in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, and events were documented in 33 states, most heavily in Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Florida.

“The sheer volume of white supremacist propaganda distributions we are documenting around the country is alarming and dangerous,” Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL’s Center on Extremism said in a statement. “Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear.”

“We need a whole-of-society approach to combat this activity, including elected officials, community leaders, and people of good faith coming together and condemning this activity forcefully,” Segal continued. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (The New York Times)

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Business

Adidas Financial Woes Continue, Company on Track for First Annual Loss in Decades

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3 weeks ago

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March 8, 2023

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Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

Yeezy Surplus 

Adidas’ split with musician Kanye West has left the company with financial problems due to surplus Yeezy products, putting the sportswear giant in the position to potentially suffer its first annual loss in over 30 years. 

Adidas dropped West last year after he made a series of antisemitic remarks on social media and other broadcasts. His Yeezy line was a staple for Adidas, and the surplus product is due, in part, to the brand’s own decision to continue production during the split.

According to CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas continued production of only the items already in the pipeline to prevent thousands of people from losing their jobs. However, that has led to the unfortunate overabundance of Yeezy sneakers and clothes. 

On Wednesday, Gulden said that selling the shoes and donating the proceeds makes more sense than giving them away due to the Yeezy resale market — which has reportedly shot up 30% since October.

“If we sell it, I promise that the people who have been hurt by this will also get something good out of this,” Gulden said in a statement to the press. 

However, Gulden also said that West is entitled to a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Yeezys per his royalty agreement.

The Numbers 

Adidas announced in February that, following its divergence from West, it is facing potential sales losses totaling around $1.2 billion and profit losses of around $500 million. 

If it decides to not sell any more Yeezy products, Adidas is facing a projected annual loss of over $700 million.

Outside of West, Adidas has taken several heavy profit blows recently. Its operating profit reportedly fell by 66% last year, a total of more than $700 million. It also pulled out of Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which cost Adidas nearly $60 million dollars. Additionally, China’s “Zero Covid” lockdowns last year caused in part a 36% drop in revenue for Adidas compared to years prior.

As a step towards a solution, Gulden announced that the company is slashing its dividends from 3.30 euros to 0.70 euro cents per share pending shareholder approval. 

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful. But we need to put our focus back on our core: product, consumers, retail partners, and athletes,” Gulden said. “I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time.”

See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

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U.S.

Immigration Could Be A Solution to Nursing Home Labor Shortages

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3 weeks ago

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March 7, 2023

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98% of nursing homes in the United States are experiencing difficulty hiring staff. 

The Labor Crisis 

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper has offered up a solution to the nursing home labor shortage: immigration. 

According to a 2022 American Health Care Association survey, six in ten nursing homes are limiting new patients due to staffing issues. The survey also says that 87% of nursing homes have staffing shortages and 98% are experiencing difficulty hiring. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) outlined in their paper that increased immigration could help solve the labor shortage in nursing homes. Immigrants make up 19% of nursing home workers.

With every 10% increase in female immigration, nursing assistant hours go up by 0.7% and registered nursing hours go up by 1.1% And with that same immigration increase, short-term hospitalizations of nursing home residents go down by 0.6%.

The Solution 

Additionally, the State Department issued 145% more EB-3 documents, which are employment-based visas, for healthcare workers in the 2022 fiscal year than in 2019, suggesting that more people are coming to the U.S. to work in health care. 

However, according to Skilled Nursing News, in August of 2022, the approval process from beginning to end for an RN can take between seven to nine months. 

Displeasure about immigration has exploded since Pres. Joe Biden took office in 2021. According to a Gallup study published in February, around 40% of American adults want to see immigration decrease. That is a steep jump from 19% in 2021, and it is the highest the figure has been since 2016.

However, more than half of Democrats still are satisfied with immigration and want to see it increased. But with a divided Congress, the likelihood of any substantial immigration change happening is pretty slim. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (KHN) (Skilled Nursing News)

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