Jacob Blake Releases Video Message From His Hospital Bed

Jacob Blake, the Black man shot seven times at nearly close range by a white police officer, has spoken for the first time since the shooting, from his hospital bed.

In the video, Blake said, “every 24 hours it’s pain, nothing but pain. It hurts to breathe, it hurts to sleep, it hurts to move from side-to-side, it hurts to eat.” He added that he has staples in his back and stomach.

“Your life, and not only just your life, your legs, something you need to move around and forward in life, can be taken from you like this,” Blake said, as he snapped his fingers.

He added: “Stick together, make some money, make everything easier for our people out there, man, because there’s so much time that’s been wasted.”

Officer Rusten Sheskey and the other officers who were at the scene were placed on administrative leave, pending the outcome of an investigation. No charges have been made against them.