Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers urged President Donald Trump to stay away from Kenosha after the White House announced a trip to the city this week.
Trump announced that he would go to Kenosha on Tuesday to inspect the damage after days of unrest resulted in burned out vehicles and buildings, vandalized store fronts, and multiple deaths.
Trump is expected to meet with law enforcement officers on the trip.
"The White House has been humbled by the outreach of individuals from Kenosha who have welcomed the President’s visit and are longing for leadership to support local law enforcement and businesses that have been vandalized," said White House spokesman Judd Deere. "President Trump looks forward to visiting on Tuesday and helping this great city heal and rebuild."
Evers asks Trump to stay away:
Evers, a Democrat, urged Trump to cancel the trip.
“I, along with other community leaders who have reached out, are concerned about what your presence will mean for Kenosha and our state," Evers wrote. "I am concerned your presence will only hinder our healing. I am concerned your presence will only delay our work to overcome division and move forward together.”
Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes also urged the president to scrap the visit.
“I don’t know how, given any of the previous statements that the president made, that he intends to come here to be helpful. And we absolutely don’t need that right now,” Barnes said in an interview with CNN.
Trip comes after multiple shootings:
The unrest in Kenosha came after a police officer shot 29-year-old Jacob Blake seven times while responding to a domestic violence call.
Police said a woman reported that Blake was violating a court order to stay away from her.
Amid the protests, a 17-year-old Trump supporter who was seen among armed men protecting property shot and killed two people and wounded one other.
The Illinois teen was arrested by police in Antioch and was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree homicide and one count of attempted homicide as well as charged of recklessly endangering two other victims and illegal weapon possession by a minor.
