FOLLOW US

For nearly three weeks, the officer who killed Corey Ruiz was known only by his badge, not his name. That changed Monday.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation identified Kiel Baitinger-Peterson, a white officer with nearly 11 years in law enforcement, as the man who fired the shots that killed 38-year-old Corey Ruiz on July 22. The shooting, captured on video by bystanders, has kept Wisconsin's capital city on edge for weeks and reignited a broader conversation about how Madison police treat people of color.

What Happened That Day

Baitinger-Peterson was one of four officers who surrounded Ruiz, who was on a bike at the time, after police responded to calls reporting someone checking out parked cars and a possible burglary attempt.

According to the state Justice Department, two officers first attempted to subdue Ruiz with a Taser but were unsuccessful. Ruiz then brandished a knife and injured Baitinger-Peterson, officials said — though law enforcement agencies have not disclosed the extent of the officer's injuries. Investigators have released an image of a fixed-blade knife recovered at the scene, but many details of the confrontation's final moments remain unclear.

One detail has drawn particular scrutiny: there is no body camera footage of the shooting, because Madison police officers don't wear them. The only visual record of what happened comes from bystanders who happened to be recording.

A City On Edge

The shooting didn't just draw grief — it drew days of sustained protest, with members of Madison's Black community demanding the city confront long-standing questions about racial justice and police accountability. Several nearby community events were canceled or postponed as the demonstrations continued.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who represents Ruiz's family, has publicly called for Baitinger-Peterson to be criminally charged — a demand that now sits alongside an investigation with no clear end date.

The Union Responds

As Baitinger-Peterson's name became public, so did the pushback from the union representing him.

Jim Palmer, executive director of the Wisconsin Professional Police Association — the state's largest police union, which represents Madison officers — spoke on the officer's behalf, saying he is deeply concerned for the safety and privacy of Baitinger-Peterson, his family and the other officers involved. Palmer said those concerns are being treated seriously, with unspecified precautions already in place, and urged the public to let the investigation run its course rather than prejudge the officers or put their families at further risk.

That request lands in a case where public judgment had, for weeks, been forming around a video rather than a name — and now has both.

What Happens Next

Baitinger-Peterson and the three other officers who interacted with Ruiz that day remain on paid administrative leave while the state's investigation continues. There is currently no timeline for when that review will wrap up.

Once it does, the findings will land on the desk of Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne, who will decide whether Baitinger-Peterson faces criminal charges. Until then, Madison is left holding the same open question it's had since July 22 — just with a name attached to it now.