July 23, 2026 8p
(WGTD)---Parallels have been drawn between the police shooting in Madison this week of Corey Ruiz and the shooting in Kenosha six years ago of Jacob Blake.
Both incidents led to protests, accusations of excessive use of force, calls for transparency and demands for an end to racial injustice.
Ruiz, who is described in court records as Black or Latino, was killed Wednesday after resisting arrest and stabbing the Madison police officer who then shot him to death. In the Kenosha case, Blake, who is Black, was shot after scuffling with police and trying to flee. Blake survived his wounds but was left partially paralyzed.
The fact that Blake had a knife in his possession all the while wasn't immediately apparent despite a cell phone video of the shooting.
Local and state officials held back on releasing the information in order to allow a thorough investigation to take place. It was the Wisconsin Professional Police Association--a labor organization--which provided the first credible confirmation a day or two later.
Within hours of the Kenosha shooting, Gov. Evers put out a sharply worded statement in which he referenced excessive use of force and spoke in general terms of Black people having been shot or injured or "mercilessly killed at the hands of individuals in law enforcement."
Evers' statement in the wake of the Ruiz killing this week was shorter and less pointed. He simply called for transparency and accountability in the investigation and urged protesters to act peacefully and respectfully.
The Blake shooting led to three nights of demonstrations and riots in Kenosha, culminating in the shooting of several protesters by a counter-demonstrator. Kyle Rittenhouse was eventually acquitted of murder and attempted murder charges after pleading self-defense.
The officer who shot Blake was never charged and remains on the force.
A lawsuit filed against police by the father of one of the two protesters who was killed is still pending in federal court.
At the time of the Blake shooting, Kenosha police were not wearing body cameras. Madison police still aren't.
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