Quick action by two veteran Madison Police officers saved the children of the Red Caboose Day Care Center, 654 Williamson St., from an armed intruder Tuesday morning.
Around 9 a.m., a man, 39, entered the day care center armed with a knife and injured a male staff member, 55, according to a press release.
Madison Assistant Police Chief Noble Wray told The Capital Times the worker's injuries were not life-threatening. No children were harmed, the release said.
\I applaud the heroic actions of the day care center staff who put their own lives on the line to ensure the safety of the children,"" Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz said in a statement. ""My thoughts are with the staff person who is recovering from wounds sustained in the incident.""
The wounded worker made his way to a neighboring building and called 911 at about 9:06 a.m., Lt. Detective Sue Williams said.
Officers arrived within minutes, she said, and two unidentified veteran officers shot the intruder, who was rushed to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead.
Madison Police spokesman Larry Kamholz praised the 911 system for working properly and helping to save the lives of the workers and children of the day care.
According to Kamholz, numerous calls alerted the authorities to the threat. Some calls were taken directly from the day-care center, with several witnesses capturing the incident and gunshots on tape.
The intruder was not known to have any contact with anyone at the day-care center, Williams said, but was already wanted for questioning in connection with a violent crime. Because of the ongoing investigation, no more information will be released until witnesses are fully questioned, she said.
A preliminary inquiry found the officers acted properly in shooting the man, according to the press release.
Captain Luis Yudice said there will be a group meeting for all families of those involved. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11, at the Wilmar center, 935 Jennifer St.
-Jason Stitt contributed to this report
