Madison Police Department Chief Mike Koval announced Wednesday that Tuesday’s homicide in the parking lot of a southwest Madison BP gas station was not random. He made the announcement just minutes after speaking with the victim’s family.
“[His family is] hurting, they are perplexed, they are confused, they are mourning, they are grief-stricken,” Koval said. “They are asking me, imploring me to use my resources to whatever extent we possibly can to put an end to the violence. I did not meet with a family hell-bent on an eye-for-an-eye revenge, quite the contrary.”
He said the victim was “executed” around 6:24 p.m. Tuesday. According to an incident report, MPD officers arrived on scene and attempted to resuscitate the victim, who later died at the local hospital. Koval said it was a miracle no third-party bystanders were injured due to the large caliber of the gun used.
Koval noted that MPD is using drones, door-to-door canvassing and search dogs to find leads, but said no one vehicle has definitively been found yet. He also said drug trade or gang affiliation cannot yet be ruled out, but is not necessarily involved.
“We will find who did this,” Koval said. “When that happens, they will know that they have been visited by the Madison Police Department.”
The Dane County Medical Examiner has not yet released the identity of the victim or the autopsy, but WKOW reported the victim to be Darius Haynes. He was 38. According to WKOW, Haynes’ father Vincent confirmed his son was the victim.
He also said Haynes was friends with Martez Moore, who was murdered outside of O’Grady’s Pub nearly two weeks ago. Koval also said the two victims were acquainted and that the Haynes family is planning a vigil for their son.
Koval also criticized those who have called him a “fear-mongerer.” He said there have been 35 incidents of shots fired all over Madison this year alone. The incident is just the latest in a string of gun violations that have plagued the city.
Koval said the investigation is ongoing and that MPD is “challenging Madison” to provide information. The homicide is Madison’s fifth of 2016 while 2014 saw five all year.
