The July 22 shooting death of Corey Ruiz at the hands of Madison police fueled weekend-long vigils at the site of the shooting, the intersection of Williamson and South Baldwin streets, and prompted the Madison Police Department to call for a “full, transparent and independent investigation.”
Ruiz, 38, of Madison, was shot and killed in a confrontation with police after officers responded to a call of a man allegedly checking parked vehicles.
Police say Ruiz had a knife and injured an officer before the shooting. Officers first deployed a Taser and then fired on Ruiz when the stun weapon was “unsuccessful,” according to Madison Police Chief John Patterson.
Videos of the shooting were captured by multiple people on their cell phones. The footage has circulated on social media and sparked outrage and grief. People have also called for the officer to be charged, and for police to be equipped with body cameras.
The state has opened a homicide investigation into the death, a move endorsed by Patterson.
“Our department has asked for a full, transparent and independent investigation, which is being done by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) in accordance with Wisconsin law,” Patterson said in a statement. “I continue to be in close contact with DCI as the investigation progresses. There currently are no substantive updates to share.
“It remains an open and active investigation that continues to progress,” Patterson said. “I will continue to check in with DCI daily, at a minimum, and pass along any information that I am able to share with our community. DCI may also provide updates directly. I continue to ask for your patience as we all wait for this process to complete.”
According to Madison police, officers were dispatched before 1 p.m. on July 22 for a report of a person allegedly checking parked vehicles. When officers located the man and attempted to contact him, he fled on a bicycle.
Police also said Ruiz, before he was fatally shot by a Madison police officer, pulled out a knife and injured an officer during a struggle while resisting arrest.
All four officers who were involved in the attempted arrest have been placed on leave.
Protests were held over the weekend at the intersection of Baldwin and Williamson streets, where the shooting took place in Madison’s Marquette neighborhood.
On July 23, the city announced that Williamson Street between South Dickinson and South Few streets, the area of the fatal shooting, will remain closed to traffic until further notice.
Some demonstrators said they would not leave the site until the officer in question is arrested and charged.
Other protesters gathered at the State Capitol or blocked access to local businesses and streets.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes Conway said in a statement that she is angered and saddened by the shooting.
“I understand the anger, grief, and fear people are feeling — because I am feeling that too,” she said. “As a city, as a community, as a society, we need to do better.”
Rhodes Conway also said several questions remain about the officers’ conduct.
“This incident leaves me, as I’m sure it does others, questioning why this happened and what can be done so it never happens again,” she said. “What decisions were made by officers that led to escalation instead of de-escalation? What different choices could have been made to prevent harm? What needs to change in police policy and training to prevent more deaths?
“Any officer-involved shooting needs to be rigorously investigated, and this one will be,” she said.
Rhodes Conway encouraged people to protest peacefully.
The Wisconsin Professional Police Association released a statement denouncing calls for retaliatory violence.
“We respect the right of people to peacefully express their concerns, demand answers, and call for accountability,” the statement read. “At the same time, language suggesting that police officers deserve violence or death is deeply troubling and has no place in a constructive discussion about this incident.”
Several community events, including AtwoodFest, were postponed or canceled in the wake of the shooting. The Madison Public Market delayed its planned opening until later this week.
