By The American Tribune | Created at 2026-08-01 10:21:54 | Updated at 2026-08-01 20:48:21
10 hours ago
Wisconsin Democratic gubernatorial candidate Francesca Hong declared that a police officer carried out an “execution” after a man armed with a knife injured an officer during a struggle in Madison. Speaking through a bullhorn before a crowd of protesters, Hong accused law enforcement of inflicting “harm and terror” and putting the lives of armed officers above black people. Her remarks came before the investigation into the shooting had been completed.
Hong, a Democratic state representative running for governor of Wisconsin, delivered the comments following the July 22nd shooting death of Corey Ruiz on Williamson Street in Madison. Officers had reportedly pursued Ruiz while investigating suspected vehicle break-ins before a struggle began during the attempted arrest. City officials said one officer was injured by a knife Ruiz had in his possession and that another officer’s attempt to use a Taser was unsuccessful.
Despite the reported knife injury, Hong told the crowd that Ruiz had been killed through “state-sanctioned violence.” Protesters gathered around her as she framed the shooting as an execution and demanded that the system not prioritize the safety of police officers over black suspects. The clip quickly circulated online as Wisconsin’s race to replace outgoing Democratic Governor Tony Evers continued to take shape.
Republican commentator Greg Price shared the video in a post criticizing Hong’s response to the shooting. “A man pulled out a knife and stabbed a cop. The cop then shot him in self-defense,” Price wrote. “The likely Democrat nominee for Wisconsin Gov calls it an ‘execution’”
An official account published by a member of the Madison Common Council said Ruiz was being detained by four officers when an officer was injured by the knife. The account said another officer attempted to deploy a Taser before the injured officer fired three times. The circumstances surrounding the struggle and the officer’s use of deadly force remained under investigation when Hong delivered her remarks.
“A man died at the hands of state-sanctioned violence,” Hong began, prompting someone in the crowd to shout, “Murder.” Hong then adopted an even stronger description of the shooting. “This state-sanctioned violence was an execution,” she declared.
Watch Hong’s remarks here:
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https://x.com/greg_price11/status/2080373419263017033
Hong then moved from the specific shooting to a broader attack on law-enforcement in general. “We no longer can have a system that protects a power and a privilege that puts the pain and lives of armed officers over black people,” she said. Her statement made no mention of the city’s account that an officer had been injured by Ruiz’s knife during the attempted arrest.
“We cannot protect a system that continues to reign harm and terror,” Hong continued. “We all deserve to feel safe.” She finished by telling the crowd, “It is a human right to be safe.” Her remarks did not address whether officers had a right to defend themselves while being injured by an armed suspect. The clip crystallizes Hong’s position on policing for Wisconsin voters as she seeks the Democratic nomination for governor in the closely divided state.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.
