A man died after Madison police officers shot him during an arrest on Wednesday following a report of suspicious activity near parked vehicles. The incident, captured on video, led to protests in the city that evening.
Authorities said the man fled on a bicycle when officers approached. He was taken to the ground in the street where he produced a fixed-blade knife and injured one officer, according to Madison Police Chief John Patterson.
A female officer fired her Taser at the man at least twice before he fell. The injured officer then fired three shots from his handgun. The man, described as black and in his 30s, was taken to a hospital where he later died.
All four officers involved were placed on administrative leave. Patterson noted that the presence of the knife elevated the danger and limited options for officers. He expressed sympathy for the man's family.
Protesters gathered in Madison that evening, disrupting a concert and calling for the arrest of an officer. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers called for transparency and urged peaceful demonstrations.