Thomas Tiffany

A Madison police officer shot and killed an armed man during an attempted arrest, prompting protests.

All Democratic governor hopefuls and the Republican frontrunner are calling for an independent investigation.

The shooting has become a new issue in the Wisconsin governor's race ahead of the primary election.

MADISON - All Democratic governor hopefuls and Republican frontrunner Tom Tiffany are calling for an independent investigation after a Madison police officer shot and killed an armed man on July 22 during an attempted arrest.

The shooting, which took place on Madison's east side, prompted large protests in the state's capital and emerged as a new issue in the race for governor less than a week before early voting begins for Wisconsin's Aug. 11 primary election.

The man, suspected of stealing bicycles and attempting to unlock cars, injured an officer with a knife during an attempted arrest. The officer then shot him after a taser failed to subdue the man, while multiple officers attempted to restrain and arrest him, according to Madison police. Multiple videos of the incident began circulating throughout social media drawing criticism.

Republican candidate Tiffany said any loss of life is tragic and highlighted his time in the state Legislature when the nation's first statewide law passed that required an independent and transparent investigation in any police-involved death. He urged politicians from rushing to judgement.

"We should allow that process to establish the facts without politicians rushing to judgment or stoking division," he said in a statement, referring to Democratic candidate Francesca Hong's comments on the shooting.

Hong, a democratic socialist who is leading the Democratic primary field, called the shooting "an execution." She urged the Madison Police Department to release body camera and dash camera footage of the incident and said officers need to be transparent with the public as to why they could not de-escalate the situation.

"This was an execution, and it never should have happened," Hong, who has previously called for the defunding of police, said in a statement. "Yet another Black family lost a son to police violence. How many more must suffer before we stop it? His life mattered. He deserves justice."

Madison Police Chief John Patterson said there is no bodycam footage of the shooting because no frontline officers use body cameras.

Kelda Roys, a Democratic candidate for governor and Madison-area state senator, said in a statement, "it is the responsibility of law enforcement to do everything possible to avoid violence." She also called for an investigation and said everyone involved deserves "the presumption of innocence."

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, who also is running for governor as a Democrat, said the incident is a reminder for the need to build trust, transparency and accountability.

“While details are still emerging and a full accounting of what happened is still needed, these reports are painfully reminiscent of the tragedies we have witnessed in Kenosha, Minneapolis, and far too many communities across our country. Each incident reopens deep wounds, raises difficult questions, and reminds us of the urgent work that remains to build trust, transparency, and accountability in our systems," Crowley said in a statement.

Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, who is running for governor, called for people to "put aside all differences and grieve together as a community."

Barnes said he was "deeply disturbed and pained" by the footage of the shooting.

Former Evers cabinet official Joel Brennan said his heart "is with the family of the man who lost his life today on Williamson Street."

"This neighborhood carries a deep pain and a history of all too recent similar violence, and today that wound has been reopened," Brennan said, referring to the 2015 fatal shooting of a biracial teen by a white Madison police officer.