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At least 12 people were injured during a shooting in downtown Madison early Sunday morning at a rooftop party near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
Police originally reported on Sunday that 10 people had been injured in a mass shooting on the rooftop of the Lux, an apartment on West Johnson Street. On Monday, two additional people reported injuries in the Lux apartments shooting, Madison Police Department (MPD) Chief Shon Barnes said Monday morning.
Ten of the victims sustained injuries from gunshot wounds or grazing, one sustained a shoulder wound while trying to flee the scene, and another was injured by broken glass found at the scene, Barnes said.
Of the victims, five were transported to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Barnes said. At least two of the victims still remain in the hospital as of late Monday morning.
Victims ranged from 14 to 23 years old, and many were high school students. At this time, none of those injured or involved are known to be affiliated with UW-Madison, according to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department.
“It is truly a miracle that no one is dead,” Barnes said during a news conference Sunday morning.
Police estimated approximately 250 people were in attendance on the Lux rooftop early Sunday morning at a party not authorized by the building’s owner, Barnes said. Officers are still in the process of identifying the reason the party was organized.
Barnes said the motive for the shooting remains unclear, but MPD doesn’t currently believe it is gang-related or linked to two other incidents of gun violence that took place in Madison this week.
Emergency personnel responded to what police believe may have been a high school graduation party around 1 a.m. Barnes said dozens of people were screaming and running out of the building when MPD arrived at the scene.
“One teen who suffered multiple gunshot wounds was found bleeding in the street. Officers were notified that there were likely more victims in the building,” Barnes said. “These students should have been celebrating summer vacation and not receiving medical treatment.”
Barnes said it is likely that MPD is looking for more than one suspect as shell casings indicated two different weapons.
“We're going to work to ensure that whoever is responsible for this is brought to justice,” Barnes said. “But we can only do that with the help of our community.”
Detectives for the three incidents are still looking through digital evidence.
Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway called gun violence in Madison “unacceptable” in a June 6 press release, criticizing the Wisconsin Legislature’s “decades of inaction” in supporting commonsense gun safety measures.
“The state legislature’s refusal to prioritize gun violence prevention makes it very challenging for Wisconsin Mayors to protect our cities,” Rhodes-Conway said.
Gov. Tony Evers said in a June 6 Twitter statement that he was “heartbroken” by the news and expressed his gratitude for first responders.
“The simple fact remains that the state must take action on commonsense reforms to prevent gun violence and keep our kids, families, and communities safe,” Evers said.
MPD is asking anyone that has any information or video related to the shooting to contact the police department. Information can also be sent to Madison Area Crime Stoppers online at p3tips.com or at 608-266-6014.
Editor's Note: This article was updated at 5:08 p.m.
Sreejita Patra is a senior staff writer and the former summer ad sales manager for The Daily Cardinal. She has written for breaking news, campus news and arts and has done extensive reporting on the 2024 presidential race. She also covered the Oregon Village Board for the Oregon Observer.
