The latest on Kenosha police shooting of Jacob Blake

The father of Jacob Blake – the man shot in the back seven times by a Kenosha, Wisconsin, police officer – told CNN's Jim Acosta that he is not "dealing with politics" and that his family is focused on his son's health and recovery.

This comes in response to President Trump's decision not to meet with the family during his trip to the city tomorrow.

Acosta asked Jacob Blake Sr., "What is your reaction to the President saying he doesn't want to speak with you because your lawyer has to be on?" 

Later in the interview, Acosta followed up, "I am sure you would want to talk about your son and how he is doing, perhaps?" 

"I'm not getting into politics. It's all about my son, man. It has nothing to do with a photo-op. It has to do with Jacob's operation," Blake Sr., said.

He said his son is still paralyzed from the waist down and that he's "holding on for dear life."

"We are dealing with an individual that a couple of months, a couple of weeks ago was running around with the boys and talking to me on the phone and laughing to an individual that cannot move his leg," Blake Sr., said. He also described his son’s progress as "limited."

President Trump said at a news conference earlier that he was not going to meet with the Blake family because they wanted to have lawyers involved.

Blake Sr. defended that position saying, "This is not politics. This is about the life of my son and Benjamin Crump represents my family."

Crump told CNN he didn't know why the President wouldn't want the family to have their lawyers on the call, adding "he seems to have lawyers with him when he talks to people."

"We have a Department of Justice investigation going on. So it would be most appropriate to have your counsel on the phone when you're talking to anybody involved in the government that would determine whether those individuals will be held accountable for shooting your son seven times in the back in front of your three grandchildren," Crump said.

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Jacob Blake's father told CNN's Jim Acosta on Monday that he has "received some threats.” 

Asked how the family is doing and how everybody is holding up, Jacob Blake Sr. said, "I just put my 20-year-old son in the hospital because he is suffering from depression. And it is saddening to me that people don't understand the type of pressure this family is under and what the rest of the family is dealing with."

Acosta followed up, asking, "And what are you dealing with?"

Blake Sr. said, "We are dealing with an individual that a couple of months, a couple of weeks ago was running around with the boys and talking to me on the phone and laughing to an individual that cannot move his leg." Blake Sr. also described his son’s progress as "limited."

"And I received, I received some threats, and it affected my son," he added.  

Blake Sr. continued saying he did not want to go in detail about it and to ask his attorney Ben Crump for additional information. 

Crump said the family moved hotels because of “sick things” happening in Kenosha, saying “the worst thing could be for this family to suffer any more physical violence with what they are dealing with, with Jacob.”

“So I understand Mr. Blake making it paramount to make sure his family is protected in their hotel rooms or getting calls with threats, we got to protect against that because that is not acceptable," Crump continued. 

Kenosha, Wisconsin, Mayor John Antaramian said today that he was “disappointed” by President Trump’s planned visit to the city tomorrow, saying he'd prefer it if both Trump, and his Democratic rival for the White House, Joe Biden, delayed their visits until at least next week. 

Antaramian's also extended the sentiment to Biden, who told reporters today he was considering a trip to Wisconsin. The mayor told CNN, "I would also prefer if the vice president waited until next week before he came."

"It's just too soon for the President having to come here at this point in time," he added. "I would say it's a little soon for the vice president also," Antaramian said.

"But in fairness, if the President is here tomorrow, then there really is no other choice the vice president has than to also be here,” the mayor added.

The White House announced over the weekend that Trump would travel to Kenosha to meet with law enforcement and to survey some of the damage from the recent protests.

Trump's visit also come over the objections of Democratic Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, who wrote him a letter urging that he reconsider as the city continues to grapple with racial unrest following the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

President Trump said Kyle Rittenhouse “probably would have been killed” had he not fatally shot two protesters in Kenosha, Wisconsin, claiming that Rittenhouse had been “very violently attacked.”

The 17 year old faces homicide charges as well as a felony charge for attempted homicide.

“You saw the same tape as I saw and he was trying to get away from them I guess, it looks like,” Trump said at a press briefing Monday, “And he fell, and then they very violently attacked him.”

“It’s something that we’re looking at right now, and it’s under investigation, but I guess he was in very big trouble, and he would have been – he probably would have been killed,” Trump continued, “but it’s under investigation.”

Asked if he agreed with armed vigilantes like Rittenhouse taking to the streets, Trump said he’d “like to see law enforcement take care of everything,” but didn’t condemn vigilantism.

“I’d like to see law enforcement take care of everything. I think everything should be taken care of law enforcement,” he said.

In a new statement, Joe Biden is responding to President Trump's news conference, saying the President is "too weak" and "too scared of the hatred he has stirred to put an end to it." 

He calls on the President to condemn violence. "So once again, I urge the President to join me in saying that while peaceful protest is a right — a necessity — violence is wrong, period. No matter who does it, no matter what political affiliation they have. Period." 

Joe Biden’s advisers are discussing possibly having the the Democratic presidential nominee travel to Wisconsin as soon as this week, a source with knowledge of the discussions said, adding that the situation remains fluid.

During a stop in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, earlier today, Biden told reporters he hopes to travel to Wisconsin.

A Biden campaign official would not comment on any possible plans under consideration.

Some context: President Trump is scheduled to travel to Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Tuesday to meet with law enforcement and survey some damage from recent protests.

On Sunday, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote a letter asking Trump to reconsider his visit as the city continues to grapple with the unrest stemming from the police shooting of Jacob Blake.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said the President is not scheduled to meet with Blake’s family while in Kenosha. Trump did say at a news briefing Tuesday that he talked with the family's pastor.

Last week, Biden and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris spoke with Blake’s family, including his father Jacob Blake Sr., who has described the conversation as “so comforting” and said “It was like I was speaking to my uncle and one of my sisters.”

At a news conference on Monday, President Trump said he’s not meeting with Jacob Blake’s family in Wisconsin because the family wanted to involve lawyers. 

Blake, a Black man, was shot seven times by police in Kenosha, sparking demonstrations. Trump is set to visit Kenosha tomorrow.

The President said he and the pastor had “a great talk,” adding, “I may at some point do that, but they did have a lawyer that wanted to be on the phone and I said no. That’s inappropriate, but I did just give my best regards.” 

Jacob Blake's father appeared on the Situation Room following Trump's news conference and responded to Trump's claim about speaking to his pastor.

"We don't have a family pastor," Jacob Blake Sr., said, "I don't know who he talked to, I don't care who he talked to," he told CNN's Jim Acosta.

Acosta asked the family's attorney Ben Crump: "Mr. Blake didn't seem to have any idea who the President is talking about when he talks about this pastor, are you aware of the White House making any attempts to speak to the family, speak to you, speak to anybody associated with this family?"

Crump said, "Yes, Miss Julia Jackson, Jacob's mother, her pastor, pastor James, and attorney Salvi was trying to coordinate for the President to call while he was in communication with Miss Jackson and us, and she was ready to receive the phone call, but for some reason, the call never came. And we now understand why. I don't know why the President wouldn't want the family to have their lawyers on the phone. He seems to have lawyers with him when he talks to people." 

During his news conference, Trump also defended his decision to visit Kenosha when asked by reporters if he had concerns that his trip to the city could exacerbate tensions.

"It could also increase enthusiasm. And it could increase love and respect for our country. And that is why I'm going," Trump said.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers wrote a letter Sunday asking Trump to reconsider his visit as the city continues to grapple with the unrest stemming from the police shooting of Blake.

Jacob Blake’s uncle, Justin Blake, told CNN's Sara Sidner that “President Trump is a racist who stokes racial tensions. He has been stirring racial tensions since he got in the White House. Why, as Jacob’s uncle, would I want to talk to him? Our focus is on Jacob and healing the community."

He said Jacob Blake’s father has told him he “has no interest in speaking with President Trump.” His only interest at the moment is his son’s well-being and getting justice.

He said he did not talk to Jacob Blake’s mother on the subject.

The President is not currently scheduled to meet with the Blake family while visiting Kenosha, Wisconsin, tomorrow.

Asked by CNN's Kaitlan Collins whether the President plans to meet with the family, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said, "Currently the plans are to meet with local law enforcement and some business owners, and he'll survey the damage. But there will be more detailed plans forthcoming when they're announced."

Following up, asked if there are currently no plans to meet with Blake's family, McEnany added, "Not currently."

Earlier today, McEnany also said the administration has not yet been able to connect with the family of Blake.

 “We are efforting outreach,” McEnany said of the Blake family during an appearance on Fox News, but, she said, they “have not been able to connect yet.”

It's been a little over a week since police in Kenosha, Wisconsin, shot Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old father.

The shooting has sparked protests in Wisconsin and across the country. Here's what you need to know about the case and its aftermath: