A Madison press conference on the police shooting death of Corey Ruiz erupted into chaos Thursday as protesters took over the microphone and prevented officials from completing their remarks.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway, Police Chief John Patterson, and Council President Sabrina Madison were among the officials who spoke at the press conference before it was overtaken by demonstrators demanding immediate charges against the officer involved in the shooting.
The disruption came as Chief Patterson was still speaking. Carlos Lemar Dixon, an independent write-in candidate for Wisconsin governor, seized the microphone and delivered a lengthy speech rejecting the investigation process, calling the proceedings a "puppet show" and a "clown show." Dixon argued that no investigation would deliver justice and demanded to know what charges would be brought against the officer.
"There will be no investigation," Dixon said, dismissing the announced Department of Criminal Investigation review.
The confrontation escalated when another attendee approached Dixon, leading to a tense exchange. Dixon warned the man not to approach him, citing PTSD, before others in the room attempted to de-escalate the situation. The press conference did not resume in an orderly fashion.
Before the disruption, officials addressed the death of Corey Ruiz following an officer-involved shooting.
Mayor Rhodes-Conway opened by offering condolences to Ruiz's family and calling for accountability.
"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," Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway said the shooting must be rigorously investigated and that the process had already begun with the Department of Criminal Investigation. She said the district attorney, the independent monitor, and the Police Civilian Oversight Board would also play roles in the process.
"Our community deserves full transparency and accountability," Rhodes-Conway said.
She quoted a statement from Dr. Anthony of the Urban League.
"A just community must protect residents from violence and also protect them from unnecessary harm by the very systems entrusted with their safety, public safety cannot be measured only by enforcement. It must also be measured by dignity, restraint, accountability, fairness, and the preservation of life," Rhodes-Conway said.
Rhodes-Conway encouraged community members to attend a vigil planned for that evening and urged those who need mental health support to access available resources, including the 988 Lifeline and the Dane County crisis hotline at 608-280-2609. Additional resources are available at publichealthmdc.com/resources.
Council President Sabrina Madison delivered an emotional address, drawing a personal connection to Ruiz.
"Corey could have been my brother because my brother is homeless. He often rides a bike," Madison said.
Madison described watching video of the shooting and her reaction when she saw the officer walk away.
"My first thought is when the officer is walking away, why isn't he walking away in cuffs?" Madison said.
Madison called on community members to push for accountability at every level of government, including filing complaints with the Police and Fire Commission and the Madison Police Department, engaging the district attorney's office, and contacting state legislators.
"If the protocol to go that quickly to shoot this gentleman in the head three times, and that is an option — I don't know how that is an option," Madison said.
She also announced that a community listening session originally planned for that evening had been postponed due to the vigil for Ruiz. She said she expected to provide an update on a rescheduled date by Monday morning.
Chief Patterson, who was cut off by Dixon before completing his remarks, said the Madison Police Department had requested that the Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation lead an independent homicide investigation into the shooting.
"This is an open and active homicide investigation right now," Patterson said.
Patterson said DCI would process evidence, interview witnesses, analyze video, and ultimately present findings to the district attorney's office. He said DCI would also release the name of the officer who fired his weapon.
"This process exists precisely so that no department in Wisconsin investigates itself and its own actions involving its community members," Patterson said.
Patterson also noted the geographic proximity of the Ruiz shooting to two previous fatal police encounters in Madison — the 2015 shooting death of Tony Robinson and the 2012 shooting death of Paul Heenan.
"Three fatal encounters with your police department within roughly 14 years on the same handful of blocks," Patterson said. "We have to recognize the trauma that this community has gone through, is experiencing now again."
Patterson quoted former Madison Police Chief David Cooper, who led the department for 21 years.
"The use of physical force by police is a sacred and public trust. More than the force a department uses, the less trust and support it has from the people it serves," Patterson said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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