The memorial for Corey Ruiz on the corner of South Baldwin Street and Williamson Street.
On March 9, 2004, Gregory Velasquez walked into the Red Caboose Child Care Center, then located on Williamson Street, and threatened to harm children and adults with meat cleavers. He was shot and killed by two Madison police officers, Phil Yahnke and Shane Puechner. Months later, they’d receive a Medal of Valor for their actions to deter him. So would three employees at the day care center.
In an interview with Isthmus more than a decade later (March 12, 2015), Yahnke described the “heavy toll” that what are termed justified killings can take on police officers…