A police officer fatally shot a man who was alleged to have pulled out a knife during a struggle as officers were looking into a report of someone “checking vehicle doors” Wednesday afternoon in Madison, Wisconsin, police said.
Police responded to the Marquette neighborhood about 1 p.m. after a report of someone checking parked cars, Madison Police Chief John Patterson said at a news conference. The person fled on a bicycle, but officers re-encountered him around 1:35 p.m., Patterson said.
The man “either fell off or was taken off of the bicycle by officers,” and there was a struggle with police in the intersection, Patterson said.
“During the struggle, the man, we’re told, pulled out a knife or produced a knife, a fixed-blade knife, and an officer was injured by this while attempting to arrest him,” Patterson said.
The police department included a photo showing a knife on the ground in a news release about the deadly encounter.
Patterson said that a stun gun was used during the struggle but that it was not effective and that the officer who was injured by the knife was the officer who fired his gun.
Videos of the shooting were captured by bystanders and were circulated online. One of them, verified by NBC News, appears to show officers holding on to the man as someone yells, “Let go!” Multiple shouts of “He’s got a knife!” can be heard.
The video also shows what appears to be an officer yelling “Taser!” as the man stands while being held by police. About three seconds later, while the man is on the ground, a male officer standing over him appears to fire three rounds, and the man stops moving.
Patterson said that he has seen some videos but added that other video has not been circulated online and is being reviewed.
“I caution everyone — this is one perspective,” Patterson said. “It is not a full overview of everything that was visible from different angles, certainly visible from the officers.”
The shooting was not captured on body camera video, which the Madison Police Department does not widely use.
“We do not have body cameras on any of the officers involved,” Patterson said.
There was a 90-day body camera pilot program for the department in 2024, NBC affiliate WMTV of Madison reported at the time. Patterson has pushed for the cameras, last month calling them an “essential tool” for modern policing, local TV station WKOW reported, but funding has been an issue.
The person who was killed was not identified at Wednesday’s news conference. He was described as a man in his 30s.
“I want to take a moment to honestly and sincerely offer my heartfelt sympathies to his family for this loss,” Patterson said.
The police officer who fired was also not identified. Patterson said the officer is a man and “is what I would consider a veteran officer.”
Madison Council Alder Davy Mayer, who represents the district where the shooting took place, said he was in contact with city officials and police about the incident.
“My priority is to make sure the community remains safe and that the public receives full details about what happened as soon as possible,” Mayer said.
All four officers at the scene will be placed on administrative leave, which Patterson said was routine practice after a shooting involving police.
Michael Doubek, who recorded one of the videos showing the shooting, said he was returning from a co-op grocery store on Williamson Street when he saw police cruisers “flying by.”
Doubek said the officers were struggling to restrain the person on the ground when one of the officers fired.
Doubek said that after the person was shot, he saw police toss a knife to the side as officers surrounded the person on the ground.
Video from a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporter showed a large group of protesters walking down a street Wednesday evening. The Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra announced that a planned outdoor performance had been canceled.
Police said that the state Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation will conduct an independent investigation and that the district attorney will conduct a review.
The state justice department said it is being assisted by the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Sun Prairie Police Department.
“Involved law enforcement are fully cooperating with DCI during this investigation,” the state justice department said.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said she was “angered and saddened by what happened today.”
“Any officer-involved shooting needs to be rigorously investigated, and this one will be,” Rhodes-Conway said in a statement. “While we do not yet know all the details, our community deserves full transparency and accountability.”
Gov. Tony Evers said he’s been briefed and expressed his condolences to the man’s family.
“There must be transparency and accountability in any investigation moving forward,” Evers said on X. “We will continue to keep the loved ones and family of the individual who was killed in our hearts and prayers. His life mattered.”
