Police in Wisconsin shoot man dead; online video of killing sparks protests

Police officers in Madison, Wisconsin, fatally shot a man during an attempted arrest on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, according to Reuters. The incident was captured on video by onlookers and posted online, sparking protests in the city.

The shooting occurred after a street-corner scuffle, police said. The man was suspected of checking parked vehicles in the Marquette neighborhood. When officers tried to make contact, he fled on a bicycle. Officers caught up with him about 30 minutes later, and a struggle ensued.

Police account of the shooting

Madison Police Chief John Patterson told reporters that the officer who fired his weapon did so after being injured by a large, fixed-blade knife that the man produced during the struggle. A second officer suffered an unspecified injury. Another officer attempted to use a Taser, but it proved ineffective for unknown reasons. Patterson said all four officers would be placed on administrative leave, and the Wisconsin Department of Justice's criminal division would conduct an independent investigation.

Patterson described the man only as a male in his 30s and declined to specify his race or the race of the officers, three men and one woman. The bystander video circulating online suggested the man was a person of color and the officers appeared to be white. The African-American community advocacy group Urban Triage said on social media that the man was Black. "Madison Police shot another black man. We need all eyes on Madison police. We keep us safe," the group posted.

Video shows confrontation

The online video shows four uniformed officers grappling with the man amid shouts of "Let go" and "he's got a knife." An officer yells "Taser" as police clutch at the man. Seconds later, the man is forced to the ground. One officer stomps on his legs as another pulls a gun and fires three shots. That officer then re-holsters the weapon and kneels down to the man, who has stopped moving.

Patterson said he had reviewed two bystander-filmed clips but noted there was additional footage not widely seen. He asked the public not to jump to conclusions, saying the viral video presents "one perspective" and "it is not a full overview of everything that was visible from different angles." Asked whether he would classify the shooting as excessive force, Patterson answered, "I can't determine that."

Protests erupted in Madison following the release of the video, with demonstrators gathering in the state capital. The incident adds to a long history of deadly police shootings in the U.S. that have sparked debate over race and the use of lethal force.