A Madison police officer shot and killed a man believed to be an armed robbery suspect Wednesday evening on the south side’s Whittier Street.
According to Madison Police Department spokesperson Joel DeSpain, police responded to a call of an armed robbery at Cousins Subs on South Park Street at 4:48 p.m. A man presented a gun at the sub shop and demanded money, leaving with some cash, according to the police report.
An officer saw a man matching the description of the suspect and tried to stop to talk to him.
After a struggle with the suspect, the officer used deadly force, discharging his duty weapon at 4:53 p.m.
“The suspect was armed, and the officer was put in a situation to use deadly force,” DeSpain said.
According to the incident report, the police immediately tried to resuscitate the man, but the efforts were unsuccessful. A member of the Dane County Coroner’s Office pronounced the suspect dead at the scene.
The officer was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries, the report said.
DeSpain said protocol dictates an officer in this situation be put on leave until the conclusion of a review of the deadly force from the District Attorney’s Office.
According to DeSpain, the preliminary investigations of the incident point to the officer being justified in using the deadly force.
“(MPD) Chief (Noble) Wray expressed his condolences to the suspect’s family, and also said that the welfare of the officer and his family are in his thoughts tonight,” the report said.
Victoria Horn, a resident of Emerson Street, located near the spot of the shooting, said she heard four gunshots at the time of the incident.
“That doesn’t sound like a car accident,” Horn said, referring to the gunshots heard. “That sounds like something we should be paying attention to.”
While it is currently unknown whether the man who was killed was connected with previous armed robberies in the area, MPD Sgt. Lori Chalecki said detectives will follow up on any clues to determine any possible connection.
This is the first use of deadly force by MPD since July 2007.
