Man Shot in Foot Inside Gammon Lane Bathroom, Gunman Flees Before Police Arrive

A man is expected to recover after being shot in the foot inside a bathroom on Madison's west side Friday afternoon, in an incident that marks the second reported gunfire episode on the same block in just over a month. Madison police officers responded to the 1100 block of Gammon Lane around 3:55 p.m. after receiving calls about someone being shot in the foot, and the suspect had already run away before officers arrived.

Officers determined the victim had been shot inside a bathroom, according to WMTV 15 News, which first reported the shooting. The victim was taken to the hospital and is expected to recover, the station reported. As of the report, the suspect had not been located, and police had not released details on whether the victim and shooter knew each other or whether the shooting was accidental or intentional.

Same Block Hit by Gunfire Weeks Earlier

This is not the first burst of gunfire on the 1100 block of Gammon Lane this summer. On July 17, five weeks before Friday's shooting, Madison police officers patrolling nearby Elver Park responded to a shots-fired call on the same block, where multiple shell casings were recovered after a bullet fragment struck an occupied vehicle driving near Park Edge Drive, according to the City of Madison. No physical injuries were reported in that earlier vehicle incident. The block sits directly adjacent to Elver Park, a 250-acre public park at 1250 McKenna Boulevard that serves as a frequent patrol zone for the Madison Police Department's West District, per the same city report.

The area has drawn police attention before. The 1100 block of Gammon Lane previously saw major police activity in October 2021, when a suspect driving a stolen SUV rammed a Madison police squad car multiple times before fleeing officers, according to a report cited by Madison Area Crime Stoppers. And earlier this month, police issued a crime alert seeking a suspect armed with a long gun connected to two west-side gas station robberies, including a July 30 robbery at the Mobil station at 901 South Gammon Road, as reported by 1310 WIBA. No injuries were reported in either robbery.

Citywide Gun Violence Trends Down, But Concerns Persist

The Friday shooting comes even as citywide numbers suggest gun violence has been trending downward. Madison Police Department data presented in early 2026 showed citywide shots-fired incidents dropped 24% in 2025, to 117 total instances, down from a three-year average of 154 incidents, according to a report on the department's presentation. Police credited data-driven patrol strategies and community outreach for the decline.

Public health officials note that non-fatal shootings like Friday's occur against a backdrop of ongoing firearm mortality in the region. Public Health Madison & Dane County data shows an average of 40 people per year die from firearm injuries in the county, while the Violence Policy Center reported that Wisconsin recorded 207 firearm homicides and 507 firearm suicides statewide in 2024. Roughly 80% of Dane County's firearm fatalities are suicides, according to the county health department's data.

In May, Madison Police Chief John Patterson and West District commanders hosted a community town hall at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Raymond Road to address neighborhood safety and police engagement on the city's west side, an effort aimed at connecting residents directly with district commanders. Whether Friday's shooting will factor into future community discussions remains to be seen.

Possible Legal Exposure If Suspect Is Identified

Wisconsin law offers several possible avenues for prosecutors if the suspect is eventually identified and arrested. First-degree recklessly endangering safety is classified as a Class F felony under Wisconsin Statute § 941.30, carrying up to 12.5 years in prison and fines as high as $25,000, with penalties potentially increased by up to five additional years under the state's dangerous weapon enhancement, according to legal resources compiled by Grieve Law. Separately, discharging a firearm inside or into a building devoted to human occupancy — such as the bathroom where Friday's victim was shot — can elevate what might otherwise be a misdemeanor charge under Wisconsin Statute § 941.20 to felony status, depending on intent and reckless endangerment factors.

Madison police have not said whether they are pursuing any of these charges, and it remains unclear whether the shooting was intentional or accidental, or whether the victim and suspect knew one another. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact Madison Area Crime Stoppers at (608) 266-6014 or submit a tip through p3tips.com.