Corey Ruiz, a homeless man in Madison, Wisconsin, was shot and killed by police Wednesday after officers say he resisted arrest and injured one of them with a knife. The shooting has roiled the state capital, sparking protests, calls for accountability, and renewed debate over police practices in a city that has experienced previous officer-involved killings on the same street.
The incident occurred in the Marquette neighborhood, less than 2 miles from the state Capitol and lined with restaurants, bars, shops and homes. None of the four officers who were detaining Ruiz wore body cameras, though bystanders recorded video of the confrontation on their cellphones. Police Chief John Patterson said Thursday that additional video is being reviewed as part of an investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway identified Ruiz at a news conference and pledged a rigorous investigation. "It does not matter who you or what your past is, you should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement," she said. Common Council President Sabrina Madison described Ruiz as someone who had family and parents who loved him.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive activists and Democratic politicians criticized the shooting and called for greater accountability from police. Francesca Hong, a democratic socialist candidate in Wisconsin's gubernatorial race, appeared at the scene with a bullhorn and posted that "this state sanctioned violence was an execution." She has called for defunding the police.
Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, also a Democratic candidate for governor, said while details must become public, "these reports are painfully reminiscent of the tragedies we have witnessed in Kenosha, Minneapolis, and far too many communities across our country."
Black advocacy groups and community members questioned whether the officers acted appropriately without body camera footage. Katey Nelson, a member of Madison's police civilian oversight board and operations director at YWCA Madison, said: "Nobody can agree on anything. Now we're here, looking at another police shooting where we don't have what we need to make sure the officers are held accountable."
Madison Police Department's independent monitor, Aeiramique Glass, said police had not yet shared evidence or the officer's identity with her office. "Let me do my job," she said, adding that the department and city are "obstructing what the community and the public want."
What the Right Is Saying
Republican officials called for patience while the state investigation proceeds without political interference. U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican candidate in Wisconsin's gubernatorial race, issued a statement urging rivals to let the state investigation "establish the facts without politicians rushing to judgment or stoking division." He said he would "work to end revolving-door criminal justice policies."
Police Chief Patterson urged caution about drawing conclusions from cellphone videos circulating online. He noted none of them show the perspective of the officers, and additional video that hasn't been released is being reviewed as part of the investigation.
The chief said police were responding to calls about someone attempting to enter parked vehicles. When officers surrounded Ruiz on a bike, one deployed a taser but it failed to control him. Patterson said the veteran officer who fired his weapon and the three other responding officers will be placed on administrative leave pending the independent state investigation, as required under Wisconsin law.
What the Numbers Show
Madison's police force of around 500 officers is among the largest in the Midwest without body-worn cameras. Common Council President Sabrina Madison said she expects a $400,000 request for camera implementation to be approved, enabling the devices to be phased in over three years.
The shooting occurred on the same street where two previous officer-involved killings took place: Tony Robinson, a biracial man shot and killed by a white officer in 2015 (no charges filed; officer exonerated), and Paul Heenan, a white musician fatally shot in 2012 after he was mistakenly entering his neighbor's house while drinking (officer also exonerated).
Governor Tony Evers called for "transparency and accountability" in a statement. Early voting is already underway ahead of the Aug. 11 primary election where candidates will vie to succeed Evers, who cannot seek re-election due to term limits.
The Bottom Line
The killing of Corey Ruiz has reignited debates over police use of force, body cameras, and accountability in Wisconsin's capital city. With no body camera footage available, investigators will rely on bystander videos and physical evidence as they determine whether the officers' actions were justified under state law.
Community members are demanding transparency while officials await the outcome of the state investigation. The incident has already become a campaign issue weeks before the gubernatorial primary, with candidates across the political spectrum staking out positions on policing and public safety.
The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation's inquiry remains ongoing. Police have not released the race of the officer who fired or of Ruiz, though Black advocacy groups and protesters said they believe Ruiz was Black.