Madison cancels summer events after police shooting of Corey Ruiz

On July 22, 2026, 38‑year‑old Corey Ruiz was shot and killed by Madison police after a brief scuffle at an intersection in Wisconsin’s capital. The fatal shooting sparked protests at the state Capitol and the weekly farmers market, prompting city officials to cancel several signature summer events, including the Concerts on the Square.

Mayor Satya Rhodes‑Conway expressed condolences, Governor Tony Evers called for a transparent investigation, and city council president Sabrina Madison urged the arrest of the officer involved. Madison’s independent police monitor, Aeiramique Glass, has opened an inquiry but is still awaiting basic police reports and dash‑cam footage, noting that most Madison officers lack body‑worn cameras. Civil‑rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Ruiz’s family, highlighted the reliance on by‑stander video and called for the city to fund body‑camera equipment, a proposal the council rejected earlier due to cost concerns.

The incident has intensified debate over police accountability and the use of body‑worn cameras in Madison, a city that until now has been the only large Wisconsin municipality without such equipment.