The man shot and killed by police in Madison was 38-year-old Corey Ruiz, city officials said Thursday as they call for calm amid growing public anger and calls for accountability.
Ruiz was fatally shot at close range by a police officer during an altercation Wednesday afternoon in an intersection of the Marquette neighborhood. Authorities said Ruiz had a knife and the shooting occurred as four officers were attempting to arrest him. Police were called to the scene over a man checking parked cars.
The shooting is being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation, and all the officers involved have been placed on administrative leave.
Ruiz was identified by Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, who urged calm during a Thursday press conference while acknowledging that it was “an incredibly difficult moment for the Madison community.”
“I understand the very strong emotions that people are feeling. I’m feeling them too. As a city, as a community, as a society, we have to do better,” she said.
“I want to be clear: It does not matter who you are or what your past is, you should not lose your life as a result of an encounter with law enforcement. That should not happen.”
She told Madison that she has questions and concerns about the shooting, including what decisions were made by the officers that led to escalation and what choices they could have made to prevent harm, while calling on the public to wait until the investigation is completed.
“It’s really understandable that people want answers right now. I want them to. But the honest truth is that good investigations take time. We have to let the investigation play out,” she said.
Video of the shooting shot by a bystander and circulated widely online shows the officer shooting Ruiz, who is on the ground, at close range. During the short clip, Ruiz is seen attempting to fight off arrest. One officer attempts to incapacitate him by shooting him with a Taser, which seemingly did not work.
Authorities said that Ruiz produced a knife during the altercation and wounded the officer who moments later pulled out his service weapon and appeared to fire three times on Ruiz.
During the Thursday press conference, Madison Police Chief John Patterson promised that city that his department will cooperate fully with the criminal investigation.
“We will not hide from any aspect of this investigation,” he said.
He said Ruiz’s death is the third fatal encounter with police in about 14 years, while recognizing that he was killed near where police fatally shot Paul Heenan in 2012. It also occurred near where Tony Robinson was shot and killed by police in 2015.
“We have to recognize that trauma that this community is going through, is experiencing now again,” he said.
“And pretending that this is the first time I would ask this community to forget trauma and forget losses endured, and I will not do that.”
City officials have closed the section of Madison’s Marquette neighborhood where the shooting occurred to ensure public safety.
Protesters have taken to the streets in the city. State Rep. Francesca Hong has posted pictures online showing hundreds, possibly thousands, of people congregated at the spot where Ruiz was killed. Some are waving Black Lives Matter flags, others are holding “Justice 4 Corey” signs.
“Corey Ruiz was a member of our community. His life mattered. He did not deserve to be shot to death in the street,” she said in a social media statement.
“Fatal encounters with law enforcement happen far too often — especially for people of color. The only acceptable number of police killings is zero.”
Late Thursday, renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump announced that he had been retained by the Ruiz family.
“The video gives us a clear picture of what happened,” Crump said in a statement.
“Corey Ruiz was tased, taken to the ground and then he was shot multiple times at close range, including in the face. This case has to be examined for excessive force. It happened in broad daylight, in front of dozens of witnesses. The family deserves the truth, and the public deserves accountability.”
Corey Ruiz was a member of our community. His life mattered. He did not deserve to be shot to death in the street.
Fatal encounters with law enforcement happen far too often – especially for people of color. The only acceptable number of police killings is zero. pic.twitter.com/IwNIIwznhj— Francesca Hong For Governor (@FrancescaHongWI) July 24, 2026
