Madison police: Officer shoots, killed man armed with knife

MADISON, Wis. – A Madison police officer shot and killed a man, who the department said was armed with a knife, on Wednesday afternoon, July 22.

Madison police shooting

What we know:

Police said officers were initially called for reports that someone was stealing bicycles and checking vehicle doors in Madison’s Marquette neighborhood. They found the man, but he rode away on a bicycle.

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Officers spotted the man again in the area of Baldwin and Williamson, a little more than a mile northeast of the Capitol, at around 1:35 p.m. Police said the man “fell or was pulled off the bicycle, this is still being determined.” There was then a struggle in the middle of the inspection between the man and officers.

Scene of Madison police officer-involved shooting at Baldwin and Williamson on July 22, 2026. (Courtesy WMTV-TV)

During the struggle, police said the man pulled out a knife and injured an officer. Officers tried using a taser to take the man into custody, but they were unsuccessful. The injured officer then shot the man.

The Madison Police Department said officers provided life-saving attempts at the scene, and the man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Including the officer who shot the man, four officers were involved in or witnessed the shooting. All four will be placed on administrative leave. The department described the officer who fired his weapon as a “veteran officer.”

Madison Police Department officers do not have body-worn cameras, according to WMTV-TV.

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What we don’t know:

Police only identified the man as being “in his thirties.”

The Madison Police Department said a second officer was also injured, but it’s not clear how. At this time, it is not believed to be a knife wound. 

The Wisconsin Department of Justice Division of Criminal Investigation is now investigating the officer-involved shooting, the police department said. That investigation remains active.

Madison protests, video circulating online

What they’re saying:

Hundreds of people gathered near where the shooting happened with signs, WMTV-TV reported. Those who assembled expressed anger at the situation.

WMTV-TV obtained viewer video, which the news outlet said captured the sound of three gunshots.

In a statement on its website, the Madison Police Department wrote: “We are aware of cell phone video circulating online showing this incident. We ask the community to remain calm and remember this is only one perspective of the entire incident. Additional video, that has not been circulated online, is being reviewed.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.