Madison, Wisconsin — A man fatally shot by police during a struggle on Wednesday has been identified as 38-year-old Corey Durrell Ruiz, a man with a lengthy criminal record that includes prior assaults on officers.
According to authorities, the incident unfolded around 1:35 p.m. July 22 at the intersection of Williamson and South Baldwin streets. Officers responded to reports of a man stealing bicycles and checking doors on parked vehicles in the Marquette neighborhood. When they located Ruiz, he fled on a bicycle through backyards. Officers later confronted him at the intersection, where a physical struggle ensued.
Police say Ruiz pulled a fixed-blade knife during the altercation and injured one officer. A Taser was deployed but proved ineffective. The wounded officer then fired his weapon—three shots can be heard on bystander video—striking Ruiz, who was taken to a hospital and pronounced dead. A second officer sustained injuries that were not attributed to the knife. All four officers involved have been placed on administrative leave. The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation is treating the case as a homicide investigation.
Ruiz had recently been released from prison and was listed as absconded from community supervision at the time of the shooting. Court and prison records document a history of convictions dating back years, including battery to a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, theft, and other offenses. Prison records list him as Hispanic, though some court documents have described him as African-American.
Cellphone video of the confrontation circulated widely, prompting protests and vigils in Madison. Local activists and some officials framed the shooting as another case of a Black man killed by police, while State Rep. Shelia Stubbs said Ruiz “should still be alive.” Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, retained by the family, has called for the officer to face charges and described the shooting as an “execution,” citing the video showing Ruiz being tased, taken to the ground, and shot at close range. Police Chief John Patterson has cautioned that the circulating video represents only one perspective and said the department will fully cooperate with the independent investigation.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway confirmed Ruiz’s identity and described the death as a tragedy that has damaged community trust, while urging calm. A makeshift memorial has formed at the scene. Cause and manner of death remain pending further examination by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
