NEWS
Police respond to shots fired in lot
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by Heather Quitos
Friday, March 31, 2006
Gunshots were allegedly fired at a University of Wisconsin parking garage on Lake Street early Thursday morning, causing university police to respond and take two suspects into custody.
Officers arrested 19-year-old city resident Jason W. Hall on felony charges of first degree reckless endangering of safety, possession of a short barreled gun and a misdemeanor charge of battery.
UW Police also took Madison resident Zachary C. Hyde, who is still under investigation, into custody at the scene of the crime.
"About 1:50 a.m. [Thursday] morning, we received a report of loud noise which sounded like a gunshot," UW Police Department Lt. Johnnie Diamante said. "As we responded, it sounded like additional gunshots were being fired."
Diamante said the alleged shooting could have resulted from an escalated verbal dispute between two parties.
He added the gunshots did not hit anyone, and all people involved in the incident have no affiliation with the university.
SAFE Nighttime Services Program Coordinator Jacob Hahn said hearing about the incident was "kind of a shock."
"I think the university police do a fantastic job of patrolling," he added. "This stuff doesn't happen around here."
However, the altercation is the second in the southeast-campus area requiring police assistance, as Madison police dealt with a sexual-assault call earlier this month which occurred on the same block.
Such incidents "always" draw attention from the police department, according to Diamante.
"A lot that goes into it is making sure the public is educated … making sure you're aware of your surroundings," he said. "This can happen anywhere."
And Sean Owen, assistant manager of the Underground Textbook Exchange — also located on Lake Street — believes the area is still relatively safe.
Owen added behavior he sees as disruptive usually involves patrons exiting from nearby bars, which results in broken glass bottles and trash around the area.
As a downtown resident, Owen said he has not heard of many altercations with guns, but noted there have been serious incidents like the pipe bombs planted in parking garages in January.
"It personally doesn't make me think of downtown [as] being unsafe, but I certainly see where it would bring people's attentions up," he said.
Investigations on the isolated incidents are still pending, according to Diamante, who said university police and detectives are working on the case.
