Wisconsin mayor calls for calm after deadly police shooting sparks protests
The mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, said the state will conduct an investigation into a police-involved shooting that took place Wednesday after an officer got into a "struggle" with a suspect, according to police.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement that she was "angered and saddened" by the deadly incident, which sparked some protests. During a news conference Thursday, she identified the man who was shot as Corey Ruiz.
"There is real pain in our city right now. It's an absolute tragedy when a member of our community is killed by anyone, but especially by the police," she said.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson referred to the deadly shooting, which occurred in the middle of an intersection Wednesday afternoon and was captured on video by several onlookers, as "very traumatic."
Patterson, who called for calm, said the shooting occurred in a "neighborhood that has experienced a lot of trauma in the past."
The incident occurred near where a Madison police officer shot and killed 19-year-old Tony Robinson in 2015, in what the local district attorney later determined to be a lawful use of deadly police force.
Officers were initially responding to a call Wednesday of a person allegedly checking the doors of parked vehicles and stealing bicycles, police said. When they attempted to make contact with the suspect, he allegedly fled on a bike, Patterson said.
Officers later made contact with him on South Baldwin and Williamson streets, where a "physical struggle" ensued in the middle of the intersection, Patterson said.
During a news conference Thursday, Patterson said investigators are still determining whether the man fell from the bicycle or was taken off it before a struggle began.
During the confrontation, Ruiz allegedly produced a fixed-blade knife while officers attempted to arrest him, according to Patterson. An officer deployed a Taser, but it was ineffective for reasons that remain under investigation, the police chief said.
The injured officer then opened fire, the chief said. In video that captured the shooting, three shots can be heard, appearing to have been fired at close range as the man was on the ground.
Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who has been retained by Ruiz's family, said Ruiz was shot "multiple times at close range, including in his face."
Officers attempted life-saving measures, though Ruiz, who was in his 30s, died at a hospital, Patterson said. The chief offered his condolences to Ruiz's family during Thursday's news conference.
Four officers were involved in the incident, including the one opening fire, Patterson said.
All four have been placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation into the shooting by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the chief said. He described the officer who fired his weapon as a "veteran officer," though did not release additional information.
A second officer was also injured during the incident, though it's unclear if that was from the knife, Patterson said.
Police released a photo of the knife allegedly used in the incident.
Patterson also addressed misinformation circulating online, saying video he has reviewed does not support claims that Ruiz was handcuffed before he was shot.
He cautioned that multiple videos of the incident exist and investigators are reviewing all available evidence before reaching conclusions.
The mayor said the Madison Police Department is cooperating with state authorities on the investigation.
"But even beyond the formal investigation, there are questions that must be answered. It's understandable that people want answers now. I want them, too," Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. "And in the days and weeks ahead, the Common Council and I, as your representatives, will do our best to get and share information."
The police chief echoed the mayor's statement during the news conference Thursday.
"I can promise you this department will cooperate with DCI; we will not hide from any aspect of this investigation," Patterson said.
The chief said Wednesday he was aware of cellphone video of the shooting that has been circulating online. He urged calm and asked the community to "remember that not all perspectives are online right now."
He said there is unreleased video that will be reviewed as part of the investigation into the shooting. None of the officers were wearing body cameras, though he noted that a squad car may have functional video.
Crump, the family's attorney, called for the investigation to examine whether the use of force was justified with Ruiz on the ground.
"This case has to be examined for excessive force," Crump said in a statement. "It happened in broad daylight, in front of dozens of witnesses. The family deserves the truth, and the public deserves accountability."
A large crowd gathered at the scene folowing the shooting while calling for the cop involved in the shooting to be arrested. A vigil is scheduled for Thursday evening.
The mayor encouraged residents to protest peacefully.
"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. What decisions were made by officers that led to escalation instead of deescalation?" she said. "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."
