Authorities have disclosed the identity of the Madison police officer involved in the July shooting of Corey Ruiz, a 38-year-old Black man. The officer is Kiel Baitinger-Peterson, a white officer with nearly 11 years of law enforcement experience. According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation, he fired the shots that killed Ruiz, who was armed with a knife, on July 22.
The incident led to several days of protests and demands for transparency and accountability. Calls also emerged for Madison to address racial justice issues. Although bystanders recorded video of the shooting, no body camera footage exists because Madison police officers do not wear them.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, representing Ruiz’s family, described the shooting as an “execution” and urged for an independent investigation and the filing of criminal charges against the officer involved.
The statement from the authorities indicated that Baitinger-Peterson was one of four officers responding to reports of a person allegedly assessing parked cars and attempting a burglary. Ruiz, on a bicycle during the encounter, brandished a knife and injured Baitinger-Peterson. Attempts were made by two officers to subdue Ruiz using a Taser, but these efforts failed.
“Officer Baitinger-Peterson discharged his firearm, striking Mr. Ruiz,” the statement read. Ruiz was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Baitinger-Peterson and another officer sustained injuries during the confrontation. Law enforcement has not detailed the extent of these injuries, but both were treated at a hospital and have been discharged. A fixed-blade knife was recovered from the scene.
Madison Police Chief John Patterson stated his commitment to maintaining regular communication with the state Justice Department’s Division of Criminal Investigation and pledged to share any available information with the community. He expressed the challenges faced by the community in recent weeks and emphasized the importance of future community engagement and dialogue.
Baitinger-Peterson’s Law Enforcement Career
According to Chief Patterson, Baitinger-Peterson joined the Madison Police Department in 2015. He served as a patrol officer until 2022 and then worked as a neighborhood police officer for the Darbo-Worthington area. From 2023 until February of this year, he was with the department’s Gang and Neighborhood Crime Abatement Team before joining the Central District Community Police Team. Baitinger-Peterson is also a certified instructor, teaching various subjects internally.
Patterson noted that Baitinger-Peterson has no sustained allegations of force and had not been involved in any previous incidents involving deadly force.