Man dies after officer-involved shooting in Madison; police respond to viral videos
MADISON, Wis. (CBS 58) — A man died after an officer-involved shooting Wednesday afternoon in Madison, prompting an independent investigation by the Wisconsin Department of Justice.
During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, the Madison Police Department said officers responded just before 1 p.m. to a report of a person checking parked vehicles.
Police said officers located the man, who fled the area on a bicycle. Around 1:30 p.m., officers encountered him again near the intersection of Baldwin Street and Williamson Street, where a struggle broke out in the middle of the intersection.
According to police, the man produced a knife during the struggle, injuring one officer as they attempted to arrest him. Officers deployed a Taser, but police said it was ineffective. The officer who was cut was also the officer who fired his weapon.
Four officers were involved in the incident. One officer suffered a knife injury, a second officer was injured by other means, and two others were not hurt.
The man, described by police as being in his 30s, was taken to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, where he later died.
"I want to take a moment to honestly and sincerely offer my heartfelt sympathies to his family for this loss," Madison Police Chief John Patterson said.
Patterson said officers provided life-saving measures at the scene. He also said the officer who fired the shots is a veteran of the department.
All four officers have been placed on administrative leave while the investigation continues.
Patterson also addressed several videos of the incident that have circulated on social media.
"I am aware of cell phone videos that have been shared and circulated online depicting this incident," Patterson said. "I ask that the community recognize there are other videos they have not seen online and that will be reviewed as a part of this investigation."
The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is leading the independent investigation into the shooting.