Madison police chief John Patterson acknowledged the shooting at a news conference, emphasizing that the footage circulating represents only one perspective of the event. 'I want to take a moment to honestly and sincerely offer my heartfelt sympathies to his family for this loss,' Patterson said. The deceased man was in his 30s, but his name has not been released.
Incident Details
The shooting occurred on a city street in a popular neighborhood lined with restaurants, bars, shops, and residential homes, less than 2 miles from the state capitol. Cellphone footage shows numerous cars stopped at the intersection as the incident unfolded. Brandi Grayson, head of Urban Triage, a Madison-based Black community advocacy group, stated: 'Another Black man is dead on a Madison street, and our community watched him die before we even knew his name. That is the cruelty of state violence.'
Police Response and Struggle
Police were responding to calls about someone attempting to enter parked vehicles in the neighborhood, Patterson said. The suspect fled on a bike through nearby backyards before officers contacted him in the street. During the struggle, the suspect either fell off his bike or was taken off it by officers, then pulled out a knife and injured an officer, according to Patterson.
Footage Analysis
In one of the videos, three officers are seen holding the man down and attempting to arrest him. They lose control, and the suspect frees his arms, trying to get up off his knees. One officer appears to reach for his pistol as a female officer runs toward them shouting 'Taser! Taser!' That officer did not draw his firearm. After some jostling, the suspect falls to the ground. As he goes down, another officer rises, pulls out his pistol, leans down, and fires three shots at close range. The officer then re-holsters his gun, places the suspect's arm behind his back, stands up, and walks away. Two other officers push the suspect onto his belly before others arrive to provide medical attention.
Officer Injuries
The officer who fired the lethal shots was injured by the suspect with a knife, Patterson said. He described the officer as a veteran of the police force but did not provide his name. Another officer was injured, though it is unclear how, Patterson added. The other two officers were uninjured.
Community Reaction
The race of the officer who fired and the man killed were not released by police, but advocates for the Black community in Madison said the man killed was Black. Sabrina Madison, the city council president, called the videos 'both disturbing and painful' in a statement. 'I've received several calls from alders with questions and what I can say without a doubt is that I expect a full, comprehensive, and transparent independent investigation into today's shooting of a community member,' the statement reads.
Investigation
The Wisconsin Department of Justice criminal investigation will investigate the shooting because it involves police officers. This incident echoes a 2015 shooting on the same street, where a white police officer shot and killed Tony Robinson, who was biracial, sparking large protests. The district attorney did not file charges against police in that incident, determining the officer had been justified.
The Associated Press contributed reporting.
