Madison Mayor Calls for Removal of Protest Encampment After Police Shooting

The mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, has called for the immediate removal of barricades and tents blocking a city intersection where a Black man was shot and killed by police last month, warning that the growing protest encampment has become unsafe and unsustainable.

Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway issued a statement over the weekend requesting a “respectful transition” at Williamson and South Baldwin Streets. The intersection has remained closed to traffic since July 22, when four officers confronted 38-year-old Corey Ruiz on suspicion of attempting to break into parked cars. Ruiz wrestled with cops as they tried to detain him and was shot dead. Video of the shooting sparked immediate outrage.

While the site initially emerged as a vigil and protest area, Rhodes-Conway noted that the gathering has shifted and is now increasingly occupied by people experiencing homelessness.

“The occupation of the intersection is neither a safe nor a sustainable solution for the unhoused or the surrounding community,” Rhodes-Conway said. “At this point, it is distracting rather than supporting the dialogue and organizing that need to happen to make lasting change. And it is deeply harming the Marquette neighborhood.”

The prolonged road closure has disrupted local businesses, blocked residents’ access to their homes and forced detours for a nearby fire station, raising concerns over emergency response times.

“The barricades must come down; people need to be able to access their homes and jobs so they don't lose them; and businesses need to be able to open,” the mayor said, adding that the city stands ready to assist anyone on the site willing to help clear vehicles, take down tents and deconstruct the barriers.

Rhodes-Conway said that the city intended to preserve artwork and memorial items from the site, working with the Ruiz family and local residents to establish a permanent memorial.

However, she urged community members to redirect their grassroots energy toward existing social services, specifically pointing to the city’s soon-to-open Bartillon men's shelter.

The mayor also clarified that the Madison Police Department was not leading the investigation into the shooting and held no authority regarding potential charges or arrest decisions.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation is handling the case independently, and the Dane County district attorney will ultimately decide whether to file charges.

The mayor’s statement comes after days of mounting tension in the city over the killing. Bystander video of the encounter shows four officers wrestling Ruiz to the ground before one officer pulls a gun and shoots him three times.

The department stated that officers chased Ruiz on a bicycle before a physical struggle began in the street. According to police, Ruiz drew a fixed-blade knife and injured an officer, who then fired his weapon after an attempt to use a Taser failed.

The incident sparked immediate outrage, leading to widespread protests and calls for police reform. At a news conference following the shooting, Ruiz’s mother, Elsa Ruiz, tearfully remembered her son as a devoted father.

“He was my love,” she said. “He loved his daughter, he loved his family. He did not deserve to be taken out like that. They took my baby from me.”

City officials have urged the public to remain calm while state authorities complete their investigation.

“What remains true is that the occupation of the intersection is neither a safe nor a sustainable solution for the unhoused or the surrounding community,” Rhodes-Conway said in her statement. “It cannot make the independent investigation move faster or change state law.”