Madison Reporter

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway addressed the community following a series of gun violence incidents over the weekend. The mayor expressed concern over the involvement of young people in these events and emphasized the need for the community to reject complacency regarding such violence.

"An otherwise beautiful weekend in Madison was marred by three unacceptable acts of gun violence in public spaces," said Rhodes-Conway. "I’m particularly disturbed by the number of young people involved in these incidents."

The mayor extended gratitude to the Madison Police and Fire Departments, including Police Chief Shon Barnes, Fire Chief Chris Carbon, and the Violence Prevention Unit, for their rapid and professional response.

On Friday night, a 27-year-old man was fatally shot in what police believe was a targeted incident stemming from an interpersonal conflict. On Sunday morning, at least ten individuals were wounded when someone brought a gun to a party. Another shooting occurred last night, resulting in two more injuries.

"Guns are not a solution to conflict, and we must stop normalizing their use and accessibility," stated Rhodes-Conway.

The mayor highlighted that families affected by these events face irreversible changes and called for an end to the cycle of violence. She noted that Madison had experienced five weeks without reports of shots fired this year—a standard she believes should be maintained.

Rhodes-Conway urged state lawmakers to enact commonsense gun safety measures supported by many Wisconsinites. She criticized the Legislature's decade-long inaction on gun violence prevention as irresponsible.

"Our state lawmakers need to put aside partisan politics and enact commonsense gun safety measures that are supported by an overwhelming number of Wisconsinites," she said. "The Legislature’s decade of inaction is irresponsible and ignores pleas from communities around the state to keep our residents safe."

In closing, Rhodes-Conway encouraged anyone with information about these incidents to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014 or online at p3tips.com, noting that tips can be shared anonymously.

This article has been updated to clarify details about weeks without reported shootings and includes video footage from a press conference featuring Police Chief Shon Barnes and Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway.

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