Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James was among those across sports on Monday to address the police shooting of a Black man identified as Jacob Blake in Wisconsin.
Protests have formed in the state after the shooting, which occurred Sunday in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Officers responding to a domestic disturbance shot Blake in the back seven times as he tried to enter his vehicle. Video of the incident was distributed on social media and recently shared by Blake's attorney, Ben Crump.
Blake has been hospitalized in serious condition.
James, in retweeting Crump's message, wrote, "And y'all wonder why we say what we say about the Police!! Someone please tell me WTF is this???!!! Exactly another black man being targeted. This s--- is so wrong and so sad!! Feel so sorry for him, his family and OUR PEOPLE!! We want JUSTICE"
Across the NFL, as training camps continued, several stars also posted reactions, including a pair of New Orleans Saints, Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas, with the former writing, "Attempted murder.. I pray he survives."
Stop killing unarmed black people.
— Michael Thomas (@Cantguardmike) August 24, 2020
Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Tyrann Mathieu retweeted Thomas' post, and also reacted through his Twitter page, asking "why can't 3 officers subdue one male?"
Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who like James is in the midst of the first round of the NBA playoffs in Florida, also reacted on Twitter, saying "F THE GAMES AND PLAYOFFS!!! THIS IS SICK AND IS A REAL PROBLEM WE DEMAND JUSTICE!"
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Chris Paul, moments after the Thunder's 117-114 win over the Houston Rockets in Game 4 of their first-round series Monday, addressed the incident in his postgame interview on TNT.
"I just want to send my prayers out to Jacob Blake and their family," Paul said. "The things that we decided to come down here and play for -- and said we were going to speak on, the social injustices -- they are things that continue to happen, you know, to our people. It's not right."
James and the Lakers will meet Portland in Game 4 on Monday night. Mitchell and the Jazz resume their series vs. Denver on Tuesday.