Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Police Chief John Patterson are urging the community to pursue change peacefully following the removal of an encampment at the site where 38-year-old Corey Ruiz was fatally shot by police earlier this month.
The city dismantled the encampment Tuesday at the intersection where Ruiz was killed during an encounter with officers more than two weeks ago. The removal sparked protests, street closures and several fires later that evening. According to Madison police, three large dumpsters were set on fire Tuesday night as demonstrators reacted to the encampment’s removal.
While acknowledging community anger over Ruiz’s death, Rhodes-Conway said violence and destruction are not the answer. “But as Mayor of Madison, I will not condone or accept that the solution is to further divide our community by causing harm to your neighbors and local businesses, harassing bystanders, or setting fires in city streets,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Police Chief John Patterson said officers faced confrontational behavior during Tuesday night’s protests but exercised restraint. “Things were thrown at the officers. It felt as though they were trying to, frankly, pick a fight,” Patterson said. “I think our officers did an exceptional job not escalating at that moment. Three significant fires were set. Three large dumpsters were set on fire.”
Patterson said the department is already examining possible changes and restructuring efforts in the wake of Ruiz’s death, but cautioned that rebuilding trust and implementing reforms will take time. One of the department’s biggest challenges, he said, is repairing relationships with a community shaken by the shooting.
“I feel like our trust is very fragile right now. We have a tremendous amount of work to do,” Patterson said. “I said this last year when I applied for this job, I think this is an incredible police department. I think it’s filled with incredible people. But we’re not perfect. We have work we need to do.”
Ruiz was fatally shot during a struggle with Madison police officers just over two weeks ago. His death has sparked ongoing demonstrations and calls for accountability. The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the investigation into the shooting.
Any decision on whether criminal charges are warranted will be made by the Dane County District Attorney’s Office.