The fatal shooting by Madison police of Corey Ruiz last week has the city in an uproar. Here’s the latest news on what’s been happening, from the legal proceedings to a wave of high-profile event cancellations.
⚖️ Corey Ruiz Family Hires High-Profile Attorney: Ben Crump, a nationally-known civil rights attorney, has been retained by the family of Ruiz. Crump represented the families of two other victims of police-involved shootings, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. [WMTV]
This case has to be examined for excessive force. It happened in broad daylight, in front of dozens of witnesses. The family deserves the truth, and the public deserves accountability.
Ben Crump, Civil rights attorney
⛔ AtwoodFest Cancelled: Festival organizers decided on Friday to cancel AtwoodFest. The east side community festival was to take place Saturday and Sunday.
The cancellation joined several other summer events, including Concerts on the Square and Monona Terrace’s Concerts on the Rooftop, although the Dane County Farmers Market went on, with organizers saying the market was a “crucial distribution point for our local food system.” The market ended up closing at 10 a.m. to make room for protests. [News 3, WMTV, 🔒WSJ, WKOW]
🏥 Medical Examiner Hasn’t Determined Cause of Death: The Dane County Medical Examiner’s office said that a determination of Ruiz’s cause and manner of death is still pending. The examiner said additional tests will be required following last week’s forensic autopsy. [News 3]
⚖️ Independent Monitor Will Subpoena Police: Independent Police Monitor Aeiramique Glass said Madison police have stonewalled attempts by her office to access records relating to the case. She said her office will file subpoenas for the first time against the MPD to get a full picture of the incident. [WKOW]
🚧 Williamson Street Intersection Remains Closed: Five days after the shooting, the City of Madison has still not reopened the intersection where the shooting happened at South Baldwin and Williamson streets.
The site has become a hub for protesters, and hosted numerous protests over the last few days, such as a candlelight vigil last Thursday. At the center of the intersection is a large statue of a raised fist that was taken from George Floyd Square in Minneapolis.
Additionally, St. Vinny’s announced their Willy Street location near the intersection will be closed until further notice, noting both employees and customers don’t have access to the store. Bus routes have also been rerouted. [City of Madison, Instagram, WPR]
🪧Protests Continue Throughout Weekend: Peaceful demonstrations against the killing of Ruiz continued throughout the weekend and only seem to be growing in size. On Saturday night, dozens of vehicles joined a large crowd of protesters in marching down State Street, and sit-ins were organized in front of several businesses. [WMTV]
