First published at 15:56 UTC on August 14th, 2020.
Sheboygan, Wisconsin — The Sheboygan County district attorney has determined that the use of deadly force was reasonable and no charges will be filed in the officer-involved death of Kevan Ruffin Jr. on July 2. At 5:50:32 AM, the Sheboygan County Di…
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Sheboygan, Wisconsin — The Sheboygan County district attorney has determined that the use of deadly force was reasonable and no charges will be filed in the officer-involved death of Kevan Ruffin Jr. on July 2. At 5:50:32 AM, the Sheboygan County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a disturbance involving weapons near S. 15th Street and Illinois Avenue in the City of Sheboygan. Video surveillance from the nearby business showed that prior to Officer Pray's arrival there appeared to have been a disturbance between two people to the west of S. 15th Street between Illinois Avenue and Indiana Avenue. The disturbance was at approximately 5:50 AM according to the video. There was some pushing before one person ran towards a building and the other person, later identified as Kevan Ruffin, walked eastbound down an alley while holding onto something in each of his hands. At 5:52 AM, a Sheboygan Police Department squad car operated by Officer Pray pulled up next to a silver car at the intersection of Indiana Avenue and S. 15th Street.
As soon as the squad car traveled down S. 15th Street, Ruffin started to walk towards the squad car, although he was on the opposite side of the road. Officer Pray's body camera recorded him exiting his squad car and then saying, "How you doin' Ruffin?" and "Are you fine this morning?" He later said, "Can you just have a seat for me?" Ruffin was looking at Officer Pray but walking along the curb line on the opposite side of the road. Officer Pray took approximately 2 to 3 steps toward Ruffin. Ruffin began to walk towards Officer Pray. Officer Pray said, "Ah, ah, ah can you just have a seat for me?" He drew his Electronic Control Device (ECD), commonly referred to as a taser, and activated it. Video surveillance from the business showed Officer Pray exit his squad car, hold his hand out and begin to quickly walk backwards.The video surveillance showed Ruffin begin to walk at a faster pace toward Officer Pray. Officer Pray, as seen o..
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