MADISON, WI – Today, Corey Ruiz, a member of the Madison community, was shot and killed by a member of the Madison Police Department.  Representative Shelia Stubbs (D-Madison) released the following statement: 

“I am deeply saddened and disturbed to hear of the death of Corey Ruiz after he was fatally shot by a member of the Madison Police Department. This never should have happened. Mr. Ruiz should still be alive. My heart and my prayers go out to Mr. Ruiz’s family, friends, and loved ones in their time of unimaginable grief. Madison has been profoundly shaken by this tragic incident.

My thoughts are also with our community members who witnessed and were traumatized by this shocking and distressing event, especially the brave individuals who recorded footage with their phone cameras. This is a grave example of the need for body-worn cameras. If Madison Police Department had body cameras, we wouldn’t need to look to civilian footage for answers.

I served on the Dane County Board of Supervisors when Tony Robinson was shot and killed by a Madison police officer in 2015. When our community was hurting, I marched alongside them and took an active role in advocating for accountability and more community-based approaches to our justice system.  

As a first-term legislator in the Wisconsin State Assembly, shortly after Mr. George Floyd was killed in 2019, I was asked to Co-Chair the Assembly Speaker’s Task Force on Racial Disparities. During a very difficult time in our nation, I brought together protestors, pastors, law enforcement, and community advocates to develop policy solutions that would bring accountability and improve the relationship between communities of color and law enforcement. Of 18 bills that were introduced, 9 became law. But the work remains.

I will continue to keep abreast of developments as they are made available and support my constituents who are deeply upset by today’s events—during this process, it is critical that community members are kept informed and receive updates in a timely manner. There must be a thorough, impartial investigation into the circumstances that resulted in a man unnecessarily losing his life.”