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Man shot on West Washington
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Also by Tom Schalmo:
- Man shot on West Washington (May 1, 2008)
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by Tom Schalmo
Thursday, May 1, 2008
A 19-year-old Madison man suffered non-life-threatening injuries Wednesday after he was shot outside the Mental Health Center of Dane County located at 625 W. Washington Ave.
More than a dozen police cars surrounded the Kennedy Building, which houses the Mental Health Center, around 6 p.m. Wednesday.
According to Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, the incident does not appear to be a random act of violence, adding the shooter knew the victim.
Verveer said the crime appears to be over a “grudge” of some sort and such a crime could have happened anywhere in the city.
Police know the identity of the suspect and the suspect’s accomplices, and, as of press time, the individuals remained at large. Authorities found a car used by one of the suspects on Madison’s south side, and they do not believe the suspects remain in the downtown area.
“I’m very confident Madison police will solve this case expeditiously,” Verveer said.
The victim was at the Mental Health Center for a routine appointment, Verveer said. He was immediately taken to a local hospital for treatment.
According to Verveer, the victim is not a University of Wisconsin student, and neither the victim nor the suspects reside in the downtown area.
A witness to the crime who was standing at a bus stop near the Kennedy Building told The Badger Herald the shooting occurred just outside the building.
“I could hear bullets being fired,” he said. “I would say four, five or six of them.”
Verveer said police believe about three of the shots were fired at the victim.
The witness, who wished to remain anonymous, said he saw a group of men running up West Washington away from the scene and toward Capitol Square immediately after the gunshots rang out.
The shooting occurred blocks away from where 21-year-old University of Wisconsin student Brittany Zimmermann was killed April 2 and where 31-year-old Joel Marino was killed Jan. 28.
Verveer said the downtown area remains “on edge” following Zimmermann’s homicide but added Wednesday’s incident is not connected to the two homicides.
Verveer said the Mental Health Center “provides critically important services to the community” and while the victim was receiving medical treatment there, the center is not connected to the shooting in any way.
The last shooting downtown came May 22, 2007, when 23-year-old Austin Bodahl was killed in the 600 block of State Street.
“Downtown shootings are extremely rare, unlike some more challenged Madison neighborhoods,” Verveer said. “Shootings downtown are rare and far and few between.”
— Nick Penzenstadler contributed to this report.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 10:30am):
the police here are great at stopping parties and making sure that noise is kept at an "appropriate" level, but when are they going to perform their most important task: actually protecting the people that live here? It isn't like this is a huge city, they should have better control.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 10:59am):
Summer's not even here yet. It's going to get bad when it gets hot.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 1:01pm):
I can't wait to get out of here.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 2:28pm):
It's nice to know that we can at least rely on calling 911. OH WAIT.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 2:42pm):
street cred?
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 2:44pm):
I love how Verveer mentions that this could have happened anywhere in the city, is that supposed to make us feel safer?
Clean this city up!
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 3:02pm):
Wow, MPD's reputation is getting worse and worse.
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 3:30pm):
And people think Milwaukee is bad!
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 6:19pm):
i like how all of you think this is all the police's fault. why not blame the crazies that keep doing shit like this...
Anonymous (May 1, 2008 @ 8:20pm):
I really don't understand what you guys are complaining about. The police do a fine job. How are they supposed to know a shooting is going to happen before it happens. This isn't minority report people. How often do shootings occur? Not very often. Its impossible to stop all crimes.
Anonymous (May 2, 2008 @ 2:07am):
Exactly. How could anyone predict this shooting? It's incredibly hard to stop these types of crime before they happens. I understand its a frustrating situation for Madisonians, but understand that the police wants these people caught just as much as we do.
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