Campaigning in Wisconsin, Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris, who met with the family of Jacob Blake, recovering from being shot by police officers, told Blake himself, 29, during a phone conversation that she is “proud of him.”

Blake’s shooting is a matter for the legal system, which will examine it in court. I truly hope the the court will arrive at the correct verdict, and I offer Blake my sincere sympathy on account of his serious injuries.

Faced with being paralyzed, Blake could well turn his life around and become heroic. But Senator Harris’ pride in Blake is premature. He is far, at least at this point in his life, not someone who should be held up as a model for young men.

The police officers who shot Jacob Blake were attempting to arrest Blake after he reportedly violated a restraining order obtained by a young woman. He had a warrant out against him for felony sexual assault.

Here, according to the New York Post, is how the shooting of Jacob Blake unfolded:  

Blake is accused in the criminal complaint, which was obtained by The Post, of breaking into the home of a woman he knew and sexually assaulting her.

The victim, who is only identified by her initials in the paperwork, told police she was asleep in bed with one of her children when Blake came into the room around 6 a.m. and allegedly said, “I want my sh-t,” the record states.

She told cops Blake then used his finger to sexually assault her, sniffed it and said, “Smells like you’ve been with other men,” the criminal complaint alleges.

The officer who took her statement said she “had a very difficult time telling him this and cried as she told how the defendant assaulted her.”

The alleged victim said Blake “penetrating her digitally caused her pain and humiliation and was done without her consent” and she was “very humiliated and upset by the sexual assault,” the record states.

She told police she “was upset but collected herself” and then allegedly ran out the front door after Blake, the complaint says. She then realized her car was missing, checked her purse and saw the keys were missing and “immediately called 911,” the complaint alleges.

The alleged victim told cops she has known him for eight years and claims that he physically assaults her “around twice a year when he drinks heavily.”

Police filed charges against him for felony sexual assault, trespassing and domestic abuse in July when a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On Sunday, within three minutes of responding to the 911 call, Blake was shot seven times in the back as he attempted to get into his SUV.

The woman’s accusations against Blake must be resolved by the legal system, not a blog or demonstrations or public opinion.  But political leaders and the public generally should hold off  on being proud of Jacob Blake.  Everyone can be concerned about what happened to him and actions taken by the police, but we shouldn’t ignore the very serious and troubling accusations of sexual assault. 

During Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, Senator Harris viciously attacked Kavanaugh because of accusations of sexual misconduct which had no meaningful evidentiary support.  Does Harris not take seriously the woman who claims to have been a regular victim of Blake?   

Be sad for his misfortune, but don’t try to make him a hero