Madison Police Shooting: July 22, 2026

A Madison police officer fatally shot a man after the suspect allegedly injured an officer with a knife while resisting arrest. The incident has prompted an investigation and public protests.

Incident Overview

Police responded to reports of a suspect attempting to enter parked vehicles. The suspect fled on a bicycle through backyards before officers confronted him on a street.

During the struggle, the suspect pulled out a knife and injured one officer.

An officer deployed a Taser, which was ineffective. The same officer who was injured then fired his weapon, fatally wounding the suspect. The suspect died later at a hospital.

A second officer was also injured during the encounter; the nature of that injury has not been specified. Two other officers were uninjured.

Identification and Community Response

Police identified the suspect as Corey Durell Ruiz, a 38-year-old homeless resident. The suspect's race was not released by police. Community advocates stated the man was Black.

Cellphone video of the incident, circulating on social media, shows the aftermath.

Police Chief John Patterson noted the video shows only one perspective.

Protests occurred near the scene and at the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra canceled a summer concert after protesters took the stage.

During a subsequent police briefing, a demonstrator grabbed the microphone from Chief Patterson and delivered a denunciation of police, capitalism, imperialism, and Zionism. Another demonstrator held a sign reading: "Corrupt cops deserve to die too!!!"

After protesters quieted down, Patterson resumed his presentation and promised full cooperation with the state investigation.

Investigation and Official Responses

The Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. The four responding officers have been placed on administrative leave per department policy.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway stated the shooting would be "rigorously investigated" and that no one should lose their life from a law enforcement encounter.

Common Council President Sabrina Madison questioned why officers involved in fatal shootings are not taken into custody.

Governor Tony Evers called for transparency and accountability.

Community advocate Brandi Grayson, head of Urban Triage, criticized the incident, stating: "Another Black man is dead on a Madison street… That is the cruelty of state violence."

Background

Court records show Ruiz had a lengthy criminal history spanning nearly three decades, including convictions for:

• Failure to pay child support
• Vehicle theft
• Bail jumping
• Threats to authorities
• Resisting an officer
• Theft
• Attempted invasion of privacy
• Cocaine possession

The shooting occurred on the same street where a white officer fatally shot Tony Robinson, a biracial man, in 2015. That officer was not charged.