Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James said the shooting of Jacob Blake makes him and other Black people scared of living in America.
James’ comments came after the Lakers’ blowout victory against the Portland Trail Blazers. But following the game, James said the Blake shooting made it hard to enjoy the victory.
Blake, a Black man, was shot by police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, as he leaned into his SUV with three children inside. Cellphone footage captured video of the incident, which went viral.
A large number of athletes, including James, have spoken out about police brutality and racial injustice over the last few months in light of the death of George Floyd, a Black man who died while in police custody.
James first tweeted about Blake and was then asked about him on Monday.
“If you’re sitting here and telling me that there was no way to subdue that gentleman or detain him or just before the firing of guns, then you’re sitting here and lying to not only me, but you’re lying to every African American, every Black person in the community,” James told reporters, according to ESPN. “Because we see it over and over and over.
“If you watch the video, there were multiple moments where if they wanted to, they could’ve tackled him. They could’ve grabbed him. You know? They could’ve done that. And why, why does it always have to get to a point where we see the guns firing?”
Blake’s father told the Chicago Sun-Times that his son was shot eight times and is now paralyzed from the waist down.
“I know people get tired of hearing me say it, but we are scared as Black people in America,” James said. “Black men, Black women, Black kids, we are terrified.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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