A gun-wielding man confronted and beat three men in two separate incidents downtown early Wednesday morning, and police still do not have any information about the suspect, according to Lt. Pat Malloy.
The first incident, which occurred around 12:30 a.m. on the 300 block of West Johnson Street, involved a 22-year-old UW-Madison student. According to the police report, the victim was walking with five other friends when the victim bumped into the suspect.
After exchanging words, the police report states the suspect revealed a silver and black handgun and pointed it at the victim, striking him in the head. The suspect then fled the scene and proceeded toward Broom Street, according to the report.
Around 12:40 a.m., two UW-Madison students were sitting on a porch on the 500 block of W. Dayton Street when the suspect approached them and said he was informed about a party occurring there.
According to the police report, the victims tried to physically restrain the suspect from entering the house, at which point the suspect allegedly grabbed one victim and threw him down the porch stairs. The suspect allegedly punched both victims, and eventually pulled out a handgun. The police report states the suspect proceeded to walk toward Marion Street.
All three victims received minor injuries but refused medical attention.
The suspect is described as a black male in his late 20s with a muscular build. He was last seen wearing dark blue pants and a blue jersey with red and white writing on it.
The past few days have been a bad stretch for the downtown area according to Malloy, referencing the student who fell from a Mifflin Street house balcony and an attempted rape, both occurring Sunday morning.
\People have to be cautious when they're out late at night downtown,"" he said. ""Students can do things to protect themselves.""
Malloy said the police are not putting any additional officers on patrol, but said they are always concerned about violent crime.
""You hate to create paranoia,"" he said.
