The National Association of Social Workers, Wisconsin Chapter (NASW-WI) released the following statement after a police officer shot a man in Madison, Wisconsin.
Yesterday afternoon on July 22, 2026, a Madison police officer shot and killed a man named Corey Ruiz. Our hearts are with his family and with everyone who witnessed this violence or has been retraumatized by ongoing violence against minority communities. This shooting happened just a block from where 19-year-old Tony Robinson, a young Black man, was killed by Madison police in 2015. That proximity is not lost on us, and it should not be lost on our community. The NASW-Wisconsin Chapter calls for a full and transparent investigation into what happened. Corey Ruiz should be with us today.
Madison has had years to act on de-escalation training, body cameras, and other reforms that could have changed what happened yesterday. Words are not enough. NASW-WI calls on the city to move now on concrete solutions that keep all involved safe.