MPD: Suspected masked intruder dies after being shot at Madison apartment

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - A suspected masked intruder who was found dead inside a Madison apartment early Friday morning was apparently shot by a person living there after breaking into the home, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes recounted during a news conference held not far away from the scene.

Around 2:30 a.m., officers rushed to the home in the 1700 block of Packers Ave. after someone reported a masked man broke into an apartment and that shots had been fired, Barnes explained. A man was waiting outside the home for them, and he directed officers into the apartment where they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound.

The person who was shot was pronounced dead at the scene, Barnes said, adding that the Dane Co. Medical Examiner’s Office will need to confirm the individual’s identity before his name would be released.

A woman and a child were also inside the apartment when officers arrived, and police quickly escorted both of them out. All three people who were inside the home at the time of the break-in are okay and are cooperating with the investigation, Barnes confirmed. In an update, MPD said it was not clear if they knew the intruder.

Multiple guns were found inside the apartment, but detectives have not determined if the intruder was armed at the time of the break-in.

Barnes said detectives found evidence of forced entry and are trying to determine why the intruder went to that particular apartment or apartment building. They are also working to figure out if the person who was killed had been alone or had an accomplice that was in the area at the time.

The shooting remains under investigation, Barnes continued. The police department is asking anyone with a surveillance system or doorbell camera to contact them.

The MPD chief noted his officers were nearby at the time of the suspected intruder was shot because of another recent violent burglary that occurred the day before and less than a mile away. Early Thursday morning, three men allegedly broke into a home in the 2800 block of Dryden Drive and tied up the two people in the home at the time before robbing them.

That incident, which investigators say do not believe is related to this one, led to increased patrols overnight and Barnes added that extra officers will be assigned to the area over the weekend and the police department has reached out to nearby community partners.

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