MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation on Monday identified the officer who shot and killed Corey Ruiz.
Ruiz, 38, was reportedly checking parked vehicles and was suspected of attempting a burglary in the Marquette neighborhood on the afternoon of July 22. He later rode a bicycle to the area of South Baldwin and Williamson streets, where he encountered police.
Officials said an altercation followed. Ruiz displayed a knife, and Officer Kiel Baitinger-Peterson shot him, according to officials. Two other officers had previously attempted to use a taser-like device on Ruiz.
Baitinger-Peterson has 10 years and 10 months of law enforcement experience.
Officers provided life-saving measures to Ruiz before he was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A fixed-blade knife was recovered at the scene.
One additional officer was injured in the incident. Both injured officers were treated at a local hospital and later released. No other law enforcement officers or members of the public were injured, according to authorities.
Under agency policy, the four responding officers were placed on administrative leave.
The DCI is leading the investigation with assistance from a DCI crime response specialist, the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Wisconsin State Patrol and Sun Prairie Police Department.
The involved officers are cooperating with investigators, the Department of Justice said. The DCI will review evidence and determine the facts of the incident before submitting investigative reports to the Dane County District Attorney’s Office at the conclusion of the investigation.
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