Irate protesters commandeer Madison shooting news conference, police chief pledges cooperation with investigation
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — Tensions in Madison escalated Thursday afternoon, July 23, as city and police leaders held another news conference about the fatal police shooting of a man the day before. The briefing was interrupted several times by protesters.
It was a surreal scene at Madison Police Department headquarters as the situation threatened to boil over. A protester commandeered the microphone from the police chief, berated him and other officials, then held the floor for more than 15 minutes as city leaders stood by and watched.
While the police chief pledged transparency throughout the independent investigation, many people remained skeptical.
About 20 minutes into the news conference, Carlos Dixon — a self-described activist and fringe candidate for governor — started shouting questions from the back of the room.
He yelled at Madison Police Chief John Patterson, "We can shut this down. You can stop talking because we don't want to hear anything you've been saying."
He continued, "We have the power! Not that badge, not that weapon! We have the power!"
Dixon then approached Patterson at the podium.
"Give me this microphone, then. Excuse me."
An irate Dixon took over the news conference, railing against the police department over the shooting.
"If it had been my Black ass that murdered somebody in the street, y'all'd have me in jail right now!" Dixon said.
When other community members wanted to hear the police chief's explanation, Dixon turned on them.
For more than 15 minutes, Dixon and others disrupted the news conference as Patterson, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and others stood by.
Eventually, tensions cooled slightly, and Dixon walked to the back of the room.
Patterson then resumed his comments.
"I appreciate you being here. I know this is tough," Patterson said. "I think everyone in this room can feel the thinness of trust in the city right now."
Patterson said the Wisconsin Department of Criminal Investigation is leading the independent investigation into the shooting.
He said his department will cooperate fully and will not interfere with the investigation. He also declined to offer an opinion on the shooting so as not to jeopardize the investigation's independence.
"This process exists precisely so that no department in the state investigates itself," Patterson said.
Other community members also spoke, including Dr. Marcus Allen Sr., senior pastor at Mt. Zion Baptist Church.
"The emotions that that young man just presented here, that's how all of us are really feeling," Allen said.
The investigation will rely in part on cellphone videos circulating on social media because the Madison Police Department does not have body cameras.
"This has been a conversation that our community has been having for a very long time," Rhodes-Conway said.
The police chief and the department have requested body cameras in the past, but the Common Council previously voted against funding them.
Common Council President Alder Sabrina Madison said the issue is complicated because previous funding priorities included shelters and other community projects.
This time, Madison said the support appears to be there.
"I have not heard that any alders don't support body-worn cameras this year," she said.
Rhodes-Conway said her next budget proposal will include funding for a body camera program.
The officer who shot Corey Ruiz has not been identified. Patterson said he hopes the DCI investigation will lead to the officer's name being released soon.
Patterson said he was told the officer suffered a knife injury during the confrontation, but he has not personally seen the injuries or spoken with the officer.