Authorities have identified the Madison police officer involved in the shooting of Corey Ruiz, a 38-year-old Black man. Kiel Baitinger-Peterson, a white officer with nearly 11 years of experience in law enforcement, shot and killed Ruiz, who was armed with a knife, on July 22. This information comes from a statement by the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
The incident led to several days of protests and demands for transparency and accountability. Madison residents also called for addressing racial justice issues. Video footage of the shooting exists, but there is no body camera footage since Madison police officers are not equipped with body cams.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Ruiz’s family, has described the shooting as an “execution.” He is advocating for an independent investigation and for criminal charges against the officer involved.
Baitinger-Peterson was one of four officers who responded to calls regarding someone allegedly checking out parked cars and a possible burglary attempt. Ruiz, who was on a bike, was surrounded by the officers. During a confrontation, Ruiz “brandished a knife and injured” Baitinger-Peterson. Attempts by two officers to subdue Ruiz with a Taser were unsuccessful.
Officer Baitinger-Peterson then discharged his firearm, striking Ruiz. Ruiz was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. Baitinger-Peterson and another officer sustained injuries during the incident and were treated at a local hospital. A fixed-blade knife was recovered at the scene.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson expressed the need for ongoing communication with the community. He plans to share available information from the state Justice Department’s Division of Criminal Investigation.
Baitinger-Peterson’s law enforcement career began in 2015 with the Madison Police Department. He served as a patrol officer until 2022, followed by a year as a neighborhood police officer. From 2023 until February, he was part of the department’s Gang and Neighborhood Crime Abatement Team before moving to the Central District Community Police Team. Baitinger-Peterson is a certified instructor and internally teaches various topics. Chief Patterson noted that Baitinger-Peterson has no history of sustained use of force allegations and has not been involved in a deadly force incident before.
Madison Police are working to engage and listen more to their community. Creating spaces and opportunities for discussion is a priority for the department moving forward.