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Blake drops civil rights lawsuit against Wisconsin officer

jacob blake rusten sheskey.jpeg
Posted at 2:27 PM, May 09, 2022
and last updated 2022-05-09 15:27:58-04

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A Wisconsin man has dropped a federal lawsuit against a police officer who shot him during a domestic disturbance in Kenosha nearly two years ago.

Neither attorneys for Blake nor Kenosha Officer Rusten Sheskey indicated in their Friday court filings why the lawsuit was being dropped, including whether a settlement had been reached.

Sheskey, who is white, shot Blake, who is Black, after Blake resisted arrest during the disturbance and appeared to turn toward Sheskey with a knife.

Prosecutors later cleared Sheskey of criminal wrongdoing and dropped sexual assault charges against Blake that preceded the shooting as part of a plea deal.

Blake's shooting sparked protests including one in which Kyle Rittenhouse fatally shot two men and wounded a third.