Jacob Blake Kenosha shooting leaves city recovering, rebuilding 1 month later
KENOSHA, Wis. (WLS) -- Wednesday marks the one-month anniversary of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, and the city continues to recover and rebuild.
A Kenosha police officer shot Blake Aug. 23, leaving him paralyzed.
Also on Wednesday, a Kentucky grand jury revealed its decision in the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor.
No officers in that case face homicide charges but one was indicted. That officer was charged with wanton endangerment, shooting into a neighboring apartment, and putting others at risk.
In Kenosha, authorities said they're in the final stages of their investigation into Blake's shooting.
The chaos that followed left several businesses damaged or destroyed. Some are still boarded up.
If Black Lives Activists of Kenosha cofounder Djuan Wash was grading the progress city officials have made after the shooting of Blake, he said he would give them an "F-minus." Wash said the police chief should have been let go, among other things.
"It is one thing to talk about stuff and to claim to be an ally; it is something else entirely to show it through it action," Wash said.
Blake was shot seven times in the back. The shooting sparked days of unrest. Both President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden toured the destruction and talked with residents and law enforcement.
"It's been difficult. Business has come to a grinding halt due to this," said Gene Ingram, Wisconsin Outdoor Games owner.
RELATED: Jacob Blake waves from hospital bed in virtual court appearance, pleads not guilty
Downtown Kenosha Inc. focuses on downtown development. The nonprofit is raising money to help business owners rebuild. They're also pushing to attract shoppers to the stores that have reopened.
"We are still facing COVID, and now there's some fear surrounding visiting here even though the violence has ended," said Alexandria Binanti, with Downtown Kenosha Inc.
There are also concerns in the city about what will happen when the Blake shooting investigation concludes.
"We are planning in the event that charges are filed or not in this case, but more so that we put pressure on the right decision makers to make sure that charges are brought," Wash said.
He said justice often never comes in shootings involving police.
"Look at what happened to Breonna Taylor today, a slap on the wrist, wanton endangerment. Are you serious?" Wash said.
The video in the player above is from an earlier story.
