Wisconsin officials open investigation into police killing of Corey Ruiz - BBC

What the report says

BBC News reports that Wisconsin authorities have begun a homicide investigation after Corey Ruiz, 38, was fatally shot by a Madison police officer on Wednesday. Madison Police Chief John Patterson said Thursday that the department would cooperate with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Criminal Investigation Division, which is reviewing the shooting because police officers were involved. Patterson said the officer who fired will be identified.

According to police, officers were responding to a report of someone trying to get into parked vehicles when Ruiz allegedly left the area on a bicycle. Officers later caught up with him, and police said a struggle followed involving four officers. Patterson said Ruiz pulled a knife and injured one officer, a taser attempt did not work, and the injured officer fired three shots. Ruiz later died at a hospital. The four officers have been placed on administrative leave, and none were wearing body cameras, BBC reported.

The shooting has drawn protests after bystander video spread on social media. Patterson cautioned that the video shows only one viewpoint. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said the case would be thoroughly investigated and said a person should not die because of an encounter with police. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Ruiz’s family, called the shooting unjustified at a Friday news conference, while Ruiz’s mother, Elsa Ruiz, and brother, Adam Ruiz, publicly mourned and demanded accountability.

BBC also noted that public records reviewed by U.S. media show Ruiz had prior misdemeanor and felony convictions. The case has local resonance: Tony Robinson, a biracial man, was fatally shot by a white Madison officer on the same street 11 years ago; no charges were brought in that case.