No injuries reported in burst of afternoon gunfire in residential neighborhood

MADISON, Wis. — Authorities believe gunfire that broke out Thursday in an east Madison residential neighborhood was random.

The Madison Police Department said police responded to reports of shots fired at 5:13 p.m. on Brandie Road at Nakoosa Trail.

There were many witnesses, some who heard gunfire and others who saw it, Madison police said.

At least one gun was pointed from the window of one of the two vehicles and someone was seen pulling the trigger, according to the report. Police said estimates in the number of shots fired ranged from six to more than 15. Officers recovered multiple shell casings.

Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said there were many people in the area at the time of the shooting. There were children playing outside and homes full of families. One man was seated in his parked car when a bullet shattered his rear window. It pierced the passenger seat headrest. Two other unoccupied vehicles were hit by bullets.

“Less than 2 feet the other way and he could have been killed,” Despain said.

The man was among many who ducked down during the gunfire.

There were no reports of injuries, according to the report.

An initial canvass by officers didn’t find any damage to nearby apartments. Parents talked of racing to locate their children to make sure they were OK. A 52-year-old woman said she was with her son, in a parked car, when shooting broke out.

The police department’s violent crime unit is leading the investigation, and detectives are looking to see if the gun violence might be connected to other incidents this week, including seven reports of gun-related violence Monday night.

Police said it didn’t appear Friday morning that anyone in the neighborhood was being targeted. Residents just happened to be living where someone started shooting.

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