Jacob Blake is reportedly handcuffed to his hospital bed despite being paralyzed from the waist down after suffering several bullet injuries on Sunday. The allegations come after Blake's father, also named Jacob Blake, went to meet his son at the hospital on Wednesday. Blake's family has criticized the authorities for being insensitive given that he is already recovering from at least one surgery in the lower portion of his body.
Blake was shot seven times in the back by police while trying to detain him last Sunday that left him paralyzed in the lower portion of his body. The Kenosha police and sheriff's department along with the hospital authorities haven't yet responded to the allegations.
An Instance of Inhumanity
The heartbroken father of Jacob Blake on Wednesday accused the hospital authorities and police of inhuman behavior being meted out to his son who is still in critical condition. "I hate it that he was laying in that bed with the handcuff onto the bed," the father said. "He can't go anywhere. Why do you have him cuffed to the bed?" he added.
The elder Blake also said that he is still wondering what his son has been arrested for as the authorities haven't yet announced any charges against the 29-year-old victim of police brutality. The elder Blake's allegations have also been confirmed by Andrew Yang, a former Democratic presidential candidate, who visited the younger Blake at the hospital. Yang said that he met Blake's father who told him that he was glad to see that his son is awake, but is angry that he is restrained.
Even the Victim is Wondering
Not only his family, but also Blake is wondering and reportedly asked his father why was he shot so many times. That said, the decision to handcuff him despite being paralyzed is another instance of police brutality. Also, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said in a news conference that he "couldn't imagine" why Blake was handcuffed. "I would have no personal understanding why that would be necessary," he said.
Blake was shot by Kenosha police officer Rusten Sheskey as he opened the door to his vehicle, in which his sons were sitting in the back. Cops had been responding to a call from a woman who said her boyfriend showed up at her house, though he wasn't supposed to be there. When they moved to arrest Blake, the confrontation began. Meanwhile, the US Department of Justice has announced that its civil-rights division would be overseeing a federal investigation into Blake's shooting.
