Wisconsin has opened a homicide investigation into the Madison police shooting of Corey Ruiz, as bystander video and protests intensify scrutiny.
Wisconsin has opened a homicide investigation into the Madison police shooting of Corey Ruiz, a case that has already fueled protests and renewed demands for transparency. Ruiz, thirty-eight, was shot on Wednesday during a struggle with four officers, and the state Justice Department’s Criminal Investigation Division is now leading the review because the officers involved worked for the department.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson said Thursday that the department would cooperate fully with investigators. He told reporters, “We will not hide from any aspect of this investigation.” Officials also said they plan to release the name of the officer who fired the shots. Ruiz later died in hospital.
Police say officers were initially called to the neighborhood over a report of someone trying to enter parked vehicles. According to the account laid out by Patterson, Ruiz fled on a bike before officers tracked him down. He then fell or was pulled from the bike by four officers. Police say Ruiz pulled out a knife during the confrontation and injured one officer in the melee. An officer then tried to use a taser, but it did not work, Patterson said. The injured officer then fired three shots.
The absence of body cameras has become a central point in the case. Patterson said none of the officers involved were wearing body cameras at the time. That detail matters because bystander footage has already spread widely on social media and helped drive protests. Patterson said the video shows only “one perspective” of what happened and added that “not all perspectives are online right now.”
“Wisconsin has opened a homicide investigation into the Madison police shooting of Corey Ruiz, as bystander video and protests intensify scrutiny.”
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the shooting would be “rigorously investigated.” She also said it did not matter who a person is or what their history may be, because no one should lose their life in an encounter with law enforcement. That message reflects the pressure city leaders are under as the Madison police shooting becomes more than a local incident; it is now a test of public trust in how officers are reviewed after deadly force is used.
Ruiz’s background has also entered the public debate. US media reviewing public records reported that he had prior misdemeanor and felony convictions, including robbery by force, strangulation and drug possession. At the same time, civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing the family, said at a news conference that Ruiz’s death was “unnecessary, unjustified and unconstitutional.” He also said, “thank God there was video.”
Crump stood beside Ruiz’s mother, Elsa Ruiz, who said her son loved his family and spoke through tears about burying a child before her own death. Ruiz’s brother, Adam Ruiz, called the killing “sickening” and “inhumane” and said the family wants justice. The officers involved have all been placed on administrative leave. Eleven years earlier, police fatally shot Tony Robinson, a biracial man, on the same Madison street, and no charges were filed in that case. For Americans watching this case, the larger issue is simple: when police use deadly force, the public expects a full accounting, not just a police statement and a few clips online.
Frequently asked questions
Who is investigating Corey Ruiz’s death?
Wisconsin’s Justice Department Criminal Investigation Division is leading the review because the officers involved worked for the department.
What does police say happened during the encounter?
Police say officers were responding to a report about someone trying to enter parked vehicles. They say Ruiz fled on a bike, fell or was pulled off it, pulled a knife, injured one officer, and was shot after a taser failed.
Were the officers wearing body cameras?
No. Madison Police Chief John Patterson said none of the officers involved were wearing body cameras at the time.
What has happened to the officers involved?
The officers have all been placed on administrative leave, and officials said they plan to release the name of the officer who fired the shots.
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