Jacob Blake is being "guarded" at the hospital where he is receiving treatment after being shot by police because authorities said he has an outstanding arrest warrant.
Kenosha Police Chief Daniel Miskinis said Friday that Blake was being guarded by an outside law enforcement agency, though he could not specify which agency was involved.
"He's being guarded because he's under arrest," Miskinis said, adding that the arrest was for "an outstanding warrant for third degree sexual assault."
The Chicago Sun-Times had earlier reported that Blake's father said his son was handcuffed to his hospital bed. Miskinis could not confirm that information, however, and an attorney for Blake later told CNN the handcuffs had been removed.
Attorneys for Blake did not immediately respond to NBC Chicago's request for comment.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice issued a new statement early Friday on the investigation into the police shooting of Blake, detailing the investigative process and for the first time, naming two additional officers involved in the shooting.
The police shooting of Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, began to unfold at around 5:11 p.m. Sunday, when officers responded to a domestic incident in the 2800 block of 40th Street, Kenosha police said in a statement at the time.
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The Wisconsin DOJ said Friday that Kenosha police responded to the scene "after a female caller reported that her boyfriend was present and was not supposed to be on the premises."
The DOJ said officers "attempted to arrest" Blake and after an initial arrest attempt, Officer Rusten Sheskey used a taser in an "attempt to stop" Blake.
"When that attempt failed, Kenosha Police Officer Vincent Arenas also deployed his taser, however that taser was also not successful in stopping Mr. Blake," the DOJ's statement reads.
NBC News has not been able to independently confirm the information provided by Kenosha police or the Wisconsin DOJ.
Graphic video taken by a witness appeared to show an officer grab at Blake's shirt and shoot him in the back at least seven times as he leaned into a vehicle. That video was posted on social media and sparked outrage nationwide.
The DOJ's statement on Friday echoed what's shown in the video, noting Sheskey - who authorities had previously identified as the officer who shot Blake - fired his service weapon seven times into Blake's back while holding onto his shirt.
The Kenosha Police Department does not have body cameras, the DOJ noted.
The Wisconsin DOJ said Friday that Sheskey has been with the Kenosha Police Department for seven years, and Arenas since February 2019, previously working for the U.S. Capitol Police.
The Wisconsin DOJ also identified Kenosha Police Officer Brittany Meronek as the third officer at the scene. She joined the department in January of this year, officials said.
All three officers have been placed on administrative leave during the investigation, authorities have previously said.
Blake's attorneys said during a news conference on Tuesday that the bullets struck Blake's spinal cord, resulting in the near-complete removal of his colon and small intestine, as well as damaging his kidney and liver.
The Wisconsin DOJ said its Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting, assisted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Wisconsin State Patrol and Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office, with all law enforcement agencies cooperating.
"DCI is continuing to review evidence and determine the facts of this incident and will turn over investigative reports to a prosecutor following a complete and thorough investigation," the DOJ said Friday.
When the DCI completes its investigation, the evidence is then turned over to the Kenosha County District Attorney’s Office. The DOJ said Friday that the DCI "aims to provide a report of the incident to the prosecutor within 30 days."
The DA's office is then tasked with determining whether the officers involved in the case committed any crimes, and whether those crimes can be proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. If those standards are both fulfilled, then the DA’s office will file criminal charges, Kenosha County District Attorney Michael D. Graveley said earlier in the week.
"If the prosecutor determines there is no basis for prosecution of the law enforcement officer, DCI will thereafter make the report available to the public," the DOJ said Friday.
