A protester seized the microphone from Madison Police Chief John Patterson, forcing the chief from his own podium at a press conference about a fatal police shooting.
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Protester Carlos Stanton, who said he represents All Power to All People — an organization he referred to as APTAP — took control of the lectern Thursday at Madison Police Department headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin.
He did so the day after a Madison officer fatally shot Corey Ruiz, 38, during a struggle in the city’s Marquette neighborhood. WPR reported that city officials confirmed Ruiz’s name at Thursday’s press conference.
According to NBC News, Ruiz had pulled out a fixed-blade knife during the arrest attempt, injuring the officer who then fired. None of the officers involved had body cameras.
Patterson had been mid-speech, acknowledging that Wednesday’s shooting occurred near the same corner where two other men were killed by Madison police — 19-year-old Tony Robinson in 2015 and Paul Heenan in 2012.
“Trust in this department is not something any of us can assume,” Patterson said at the press conference. “[It] is by far our greatest commodity. It must be earned continuously and I think it can be lost in a single afternoon.”
Stanton interrupted before Patterson could finish.
“You’re gonna say the same thing you all say every time a Black body gets shot down in this city,” Stanton said.
“You’ve given us this speech — you’ll deliver justice … We don’t wanna hear that today,” he continued.
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“I’ll step aside,” the chief said.
“That’s right. Give me this microphone then,” Stanton replied, stepping to the lectern.
As Stanton spoke, another protester held a sign beside him that read “Corrupt cops deserve to die too!!! F— you, kill Peterson (sic).” Patterson stood silently to the side, hands behind his back.
“What you are doing right now in this city is continuing the disgusting nature of colonialism, the disgusting nature of imperialism,” Stanton told the room.
He then invited questions — from the audience, not reporters.
“You got some questions y’all wanna ask? Ask us some questions. We’re taking questions,” Stanton said.
An audience member called for Patterson to be allowed to finish.
“So what you’re doing is you’re coddling up to imperialism, brother,” Stanton replied.
Stanton also suggested Ruiz “appeared to be homeless,” a claim consistent with officials’ account of the shooting.
A Fox News anchor, watching the scene unfold live, called it a press conference that “took a bizarre turn.”
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