MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Protesters burst in and take over news conference as Madison police identify man killed by officer a day earlier.
City of Madison officials identified a man who was shot by police after allegedly injuring an officer with a knife while resisting arrest as homeless on Thursday, but told a news conference that who he was shouldn't have cost him his life.
“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,” Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said. She identified the man who was killed Wednesday as Corey Ruiz, and said his shooting will be “rigorously investigated.”
Sabrina Madison, president of the Madison Common Council, said “Corey could have been my brother because my brother is homeless and he often rides a bike.”
“He’s a human being. He had a family. He has parents who loved him who brought him home, who cared for him,” said Madison, adding that she has seen videos of the shooting and found them hard to reconcile.
“My first thought is, when the officer’s walking away, why isn’t he walking away in cuffs,” Madison said. “I’m angry, there’s no way around it.”
The police chief then took the podium to describe the investigation, only to be interrupted when a dozen protesters burst into the news conference and seized the microphone as the chief calmly stood by. Other uniformed police officers also watched quietly as a man complained at length about imperialism and “bougeois” city management. One woman held a sign saying “Corrupt cops deserve to die too!!!”
