A man drove into an east-side hotel and died after being shot multiple times by a still-at-large suspect early Wednesday morning, according to the Madison Police Department. The case is the city’s first homicide of 2017.
The victim was identified by the Dane County Medical Examiner's office Thursday as 31-year-old David D. Edwards of Madison.
A 23-year-old Madison man—who was in the passenger seat during the incident—was not shot but suffered injuries from the crash that were not life threatening.
The two men were approached by a gunman while sitting in a car parked at Mobil gas station on the 3000 block of East Washington Avenue. The gunman fired multiple rounds into the vehicle, striking the driver several times. The wounded driver drove out of the lot at high speed, making it a few miles east on East Washington Avenue before crashing into the Comfort Inn & Suites hotel.
The 31-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. Although not yet confirmed by medical examiners, MPD Public Information Officer Joel DeSpain said in an incident report that preliminary indications point to gunshot wounds as cause of death.
Police described the suspect as a thinly-built black male in his 20s, measuring between 5 feet 6 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing between 140 and 150 pounds.
“Early information suggests this was a targeted act of violence, although a specific motive is not yet known,” DeSpain said.
MPD Violent Crime Unit hasn’t found a link between Wednesday’s shooting and other recent gun incidents in Madison, but police note the investigation is in its early stages.
Anyone with information can contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at 608-266-6014.
UPDATE Mar. 2, 4:29 p.m.: This story has been updated to include victim identification.
