The family of Jacob Blake, the 29-year-old who was left in serious condition after being shot by Kenosha police, expressed pain as they reflected on Sunday’s shooting.

“They shot my son seven times, seven. Like he didn’t matter,” said Jacob Blake Sr., Blake’s father. “But my son matters. He’s a human being and he matters.”

The family spoke in Kenosha Tuesday near the site of recent protests at the county courthouse during their first news conference since Blake’s shooting.

An attorney for the family said the police shooting left Blake paralyzed, and that he is continuing to undergo surgery to repair the damage to his abdomen. He also called for the firing and arrest of the officers involved in the shooting.

Another family attorney said they will also pursue a civil suit to hold the police accountable and to help Blake in the aftermath of the shooting.

“He’s a young man. He’s got four decades of life ahead of him, and what he needs now and what the federal justice system provides for under these circumstances is the best possible medical care to absolutely maximize his recovery,” said attorney Patrick Salvi Jr.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing and headed by the state Department of Justice. Protesters in Kenosha have raised concerns that the investigation will not be impartial.

Protests are expected to continue Tuesday night, with Gov. Tony Evers declaring a state of emergency due to the unrest and calling in additional guard troops to aid local law enforcement in Kenosha.

Demonstrations took place around the state Tuesday, including in Madison and Wausau.

I counted 27 people at the spontaneously organized protest in Wausau outside of the courthouse. A lot of honking horns while I was there. pic.twitter.com/gNEbnalRzb

— Rob Mentzer (@robertmentzer) August 25, 2020

Julia Jackson, Blake’s mother, urged demonstrators to take to the streets peacefully.

“It doesn’t reflect my son or my family,” she said. “If Jake knew what was going on and as far as that goes, the violence and the destruction, he would be very unpleased.”