Jacob Blake’s uncle says family believes Trump ‘incited this violence,’ doesn’t want ‘anything to do with him’

An uncle of Jacob Blake, a Black man reported to be partially paralyzed from the waist down after being shot at close range in the back by police in Kenosha, Wis., accused President Trump of “drumming” up violence in the country and said the Blake family doesn’t want “anything to do with him.” 

Jacob Blake’s uncle, Justin Blake, made the comments in an interview with local ABC affiliate WISN on Sunday. He was asked about unrest in Kenosha and other parts of the country following the police shooting of his nephew and the violence seen at some demonstrations. 

{mosads}“How could they not be feeding on violence when the man in the White House is steady drumming it up? Did you not think it would not trickle down to the streets? It has,” he said in an interview with the station. “So, we have the opportunity to control the narrative as the Blake family, and we’re gonna do that.”

His comments come as a number of Democrats have sought to blame Trump for inciting violence in the country following clashes, some deadly, at recent protests.

Two people were killed and one person was wounded last week in a shooting in Kenosha during a protest over the shooting of Jacob Blake. The teen identified by authorities as the suspect, Kyle Rittenhouse, was previously a member of a youth police cadet program, according to CNN. He also reportedly attended a Trump campaign rally earlier this year.

Authorities also said over the weekend that a person was killed in Portland, Ore., where protests have persisted daily in the months since the police killing of George Floyd, a Black man who died in May after a white Minneapolis police officer was seen kneeling on his neck for more than eight minutes. 

Local police said the shooting occurred after a clash between Trump supporters and Black Lives Matter protesters. The victim was reportedly wearing a hat that read “Patriot Prayer,” an apparent reference to a far-right group in the area. 

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden also accused Trump of fomenting violence in the nation in remarks from Pittsburgh on Monday, saying the “president long ago forfeited any moral leadership in this country” while vowing to use “less divisive rhetoric” than Trump if elected in November. 

During his interview on Sunday, Justin Blake said that while Trump has not been in touch with his family following the shooting of his nephew, Biden and his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), have, which he thanked them for.

“They did reach out and speak with our brother,” he told the station. “I kept missing their call. I wasn’t able to catch up to him, but they spoke with our brother for prolonged conversation and indicated some of the things they would like to get done and accomplished — bills, laws and so forth — if they were to get into office.” 

As for Trump’s planned visit to the city later this week, Justin Blake said he hopes Trump “likes Kenosha” but added his family doesn’t “particularly want to have anything to do with him.”

“We believe he incited this violence. And that’s why it’s flooded over. People think they have the right to do anything. And when you think you have the right to shoot a young man seven times in a back, you’re wrong and justice has to come your way,” he said.

“In history’s past, when things of this nature happen, the man or woman in the White House try to rally the nation to one center point for the best of the country,” Blake said. “And we haven’t heard that.”