National

topics

politics-policy

epstein-files

donald-trump

2026-midterm-elections

immigration

behind-the-curtain

race-and-equity

technology

privacy-tech-regulation

automation-and-ai

tiktok-news

big-tech

social-media

cybersecurity

economy

social-security

inflation

tariffs

federal-reserve

jobs

transportation

business

stock-market-news

retail-news

crypto

media

elon-musk

dealmaking

health

rfk-jr

drug-prices

axios-explains-abortion

public-health

world

israel

axios-explains-ukraine

iran

russia

china

energy-climate

nuclear-energy

climate-energy-policy

climate-change

extreme-weather

alternative-energy

electric-vehicles

science

emerging-tech

biomedicine

newsletters

pittsburgh

atlanta

san-diego

charlotte

boulder

washington-dc

kansas-city

dallas

denver

detroit

des-moines

austin

boston

chicago

cleveland

columbus

houston

indianapolis

miami

nashville

new-orleans

nw-arkansas

philadelphia

phoenix

portland

richmond

salt-lake-city

san-antonio

san-francisco

seattle

tampa-bay

twin-cities

raleigh

huntsville

colorado-springs

axios-local

axios-pro

axios-live

the-axios-show

The Department of Justice announced Wednesday that federal prosecutors and the FBI have opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer.

The big picture: Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down following the Aug. 23 shooting. The incident triggered a wave of protests in Kenosha, in the latest demonstration against police brutality and racism.

Federal prosecutors launch civil rights probe into Jacob Blake's shooting

Blake was left paralyzed from the waist down after the shooting.

Demonstrators march through the city during a protest in New York August 24

Demonstrators march through the city during a Sunday protest in New York City over the shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Photo: Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images

Politics

Jacob Blake

The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Department of Justice announced" data-vars-click-url="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/pr/us-department-justice-confirms-federal-civil-rights-investigation-shooting-mr-jacob" data-vars-content-id="bbb2f1d2-426c-4a8a-84d9-134500fc0f50" data-vars-headline="Federal prosecutors launch civil rights probe into Jacob Blake&#x27;s shooting" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edwi/pr/us-department-justice-confirms-federal-civil-rights-investigation-shooting-mr-jacob" target="_blank">Department of Justice announced</a> Wednesday that federal prosecutors and the FBI have opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting of Jacob Blake by a Kenosha police officer.The big picture: Blake <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="was left paralyzed" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/wisconsin-police-shooting-black-man-kenosha-curfew-ebc2e282-de55-4c62-b9e9-7a4648dad22c.html" data-vars-content-id="bbb2f1d2-426c-4a8a-84d9-134500fc0f50" data-vars-headline="Federal prosecutors launch civil rights probe into Jacob Blake&#x27;s shooting" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/wisconsin-police-shooting-black-man-kenosha-curfew-ebc2e282-de55-4c62-b9e9-7a4648dad22c.html" target="_self">was left paralyzed</a> from the waist down following the Aug. 23 shooting. The incident triggered a wave of protests in Kenosha, in the latest demonstration against police brutality and racism.

2024 will be an election year like no other, as President Biden seeks re-election amid economic uncertainty, two wars and questions about his age. His likely foe, former President Trump, faces felony charges and vows revenge on his political enemies. Meanwhile, Americans generally are dissatisfied with those choices and are divided over immigration, race, education and more.

Politics & Policy

Federal prosecutors launch civil rights probe into Jacob Blake's shooting

What to read next