Police officer fatally shoots man in Madison, Wisconsin, sparking protests | Wisconsin
A police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, shot and killed a man Wednesday in an incident captured on cellphone video. local protests.
Madison police Chief John Patterson acknowledged the shooting at a news conference, but emphasized that the footage circulating was only one perspective of what happened.
“I want to take a moment to offer my honest and sincere condolences to his family on this loss,” Patterson said. Patterson said the dead man was in his 30s, but police did not release his name.
The shooting occurred on a city street in a popular neighborhood lined with restaurants, bars, shops and residences, less than 2 miles from the state capital. Footage of the incident shows many vehicles stopped at the intersection and people watching.
“Another Black man died on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name,” said Brandi Grayson, president of Urban Triage, a Madison-based Black community advocacy group. “This is the cruelty of state violence.”
A crowd formed near the scene of the shooting Wednesday, with people chanting “Arrest the cops!” shouted slogans.
Police responded to calls about someone trying to break into vehicles parked in the neighborhood, Patterson said. The suspect tried to escape through nearby backyards on a bicycle before officers contacted him in the street, Patterson said.
The suspect either fell off his bike or was pulled off his bike by officers, and during the fight, he pulled out a knife and injured an officer, Patterson said.
In one of the videos circulating online, three police officers can be seen subduing the man and trying to arrest him. Officers lose control of the suspect, who releases his arms and tries to get up from his knees. A female police officer ran toward the others and shouted, “Taser! Taser!” a police officer appears to reach for his gun as he shouts. That officer did not draw his firearm.
After a brief struggle, the suspect falls to the ground. As he goes downstairs, another police officer stands up, pulls out his gun, leans towards the man on the ground, and fires three shots at point-blank range.
The shooting officer then holsters his gun and puts the suspect’s arm behind his back, then stands up and walks away. Two other police officers push the suspect onto his stomach while others attempt to provide medical attention.
The officer who fired the fatal shot was stabbed by the suspect, Patterson said. He described the officer as a member of the police force but did not give his name.
Another officer was injured, but it was unclear how, Patterson said. The other two police officers escaped uninjured.
The identities of the police officer who fired the gun and the person killed were not disclosed by the police on Wednesday. But advocates for the Black community in Madison said the man killed was Black.
City council president Sabrina Madison called the videos “both disturbing and painful” in a statement. “I have received numerous calls from Alders with questions, and what I can say without a doubt is that I expect a full, thorough and transparent independent investigation into the shooting of a community member today,” the statement said.
The Wisconsin Department of Justice criminal investigation will investigate the shooting due to the involvement of police officers.
A white police officer shot and killed biracial Tony Robinson on the same street in 2015, and this incident sparked major protests. The district attorney found that the police officer was in the right and did not file charges against the police officer regarding this incident.
Associated Press contributed
