Man allegedly loaded guns in vehicle, threatened “suicide by cop” before running into CVS store

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    Kenosha, Wisconsin (Kenosha News) — Before he crashed into a snowbank and fled into an open CVS pharmacy, Benjamin Ruffalo allegedly loaded rifle cases into his truck before saying “you’re going to have to shoot me” to officers attempting to stop him.

Inside the pharmacy, 3726 22nd Ave. Saturday, Ruffalo allegedly refused police orders to show his hands, before police struggled to take him into custody, leaving Ruffalo with multiple facial injuries.

Ruffalo, 42, was charged Monday with first degree recklessly endangering safety for the incident Saturday.

According to the criminal complaint, a 16-year-old member of Ruffalo’s family called police late Saturday afternoon saying that Ruffalo was “going crazy,” had beaten up another member of the family, that he had multiple guns and had thrown a gun at the family members’ car as they fled the house on the 4200 block of 13th Court.

Family members said Ruffalo had been manic, making suicidal statements and saying that he was going to “commit suicide by cop.”

When officers arrived at the house they saw Ruffalo walking in and out of the house carrying what appeared to be rifle or shotgun cases and loading them into a pickup truck. According to the complaint, he refused to speak to officers, saying “you are going to have to shoot me” while patting his waistband and lifting his shirt.

After at first going back inside his house, Ruffalo walked outside, got into his truck and allegedly fled at high speed.

A short time after an officer driving east on the 2000 block of Washington Road saw the pickup headed west at about 60 mph. The officer saw the driver of the pickup swerve toward the squad car and “attempt to hit his squad head on,” according to the complaint. It states that the officer had to drive over the curb to avoid being hit. The officer then turned around to pursue the truck, which crashed into the snowbank outside the CVS on the corner of Washington Road and 22nd Avenue.

“Ben got out and started running toward the front doors of the CVS,” the complaint states.

Officers pursued Ruffalo into the store, fearing that he had a gun with him. During the struggle to take him into custody, according to the complaint, two officers struck and kneed Ruffalo in the head, according to the complaint. At his initial court appearance Monday, Ruffalo’s face was swollen and disfigured, both eyes swollen nearly shut.

After his arrest, police found Ruffalo had no weapons with him in the store, although he had shotgun shells in his pocket. In the truck, police found three rifles and three shotguns, along with a large amount of ammunition, and three knives, one with a 15-inch blade.

At Ruffalo’s initial appearance, Ruffalo’s wife asked the court commissioner to allow her to have contact with him, saying the family feels Ruffalo needs help with mental health treatment and substance abuse treatment. “I never once felt unsafe,” she said.

His defense attorney said he had no criminal record.

Along with the first degree recklessly endangering safety charge, Ruffalo is charged with resisting arrest and resisting arrest causing a soft tissue injury — an officer’s hand was injured in the struggle.

Court Commissioner Larry Keating set Ruffalo’s bond at $15,000, saying the allegations against him were disturbing and that he had concerns about public safety.

He is next scheduled to appear in court Feb. 24.

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