Man accused of shooting AR-15 at WA deputy faces life in prison
The man accused of shooting an AR-15 at a Thurston County deputy faces life behind bars.
Damien Madison fled the state after opening fire on a deputy during a high-speed chase, according to investigators.
More than a month after the crime, Madison finally appeared in a Thurston County courtroom packed with deputies, with his trial now scheduled for August.
OLYMPIA, WA - The man accused of firing an AR-15-style rifle at a sheriff's deputy during a high-speed chase in Thurston County and fleeing the state appeared in court Wednesday.
Damien Madison, 27, faces multiple charges in connection to this crimespree including first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, unlawful possession of a gun. Madison also has several active cases in Thurston County.
During the hearing, the prosecution addressed the judge regarding Madison's charges.
"He was willing to sacrifice his own safety, the safety of the men and women in this community that give their lives every single day, and that he fired upon them in such a wanton and disregard for the safety of everyone in this community is abhorrent to the state," a prosecutor said in court. "Mr. Madison is someone who poses an extreme danger to himself, to the loved one that was with him, to everyone that operates a motor vehicle in this community," she added.
What they're saying
About 50 deputies from the Thurston County Sheriff's Office filled the courtroom in a show of support. Sheriff Derek Sanders said the large turnout was about standing with one of their own.
"If you think that no one got hurt, you don't get shot at and just come back normal. I don't care who you are. Whether you're in law enforcement, or military, member of the community, anytime you got rounds flying your way, you don't come out the same on the other side. I would just say it's important for our deputies to see the kind of community support," Sanders said.
During the hearing, Madison wiped his eyes several times and buried his head in his hands after the judge noted he could face life in prison if convicted.
"I hope there is some remorse, and regardless of how this case resolves, even for the worst of the worst offenders, I hope they can find a way to somehow become better people and amend what they have done," Sanders added.
Madison is currently being held without bail. His next court appearance is scheduled, and trial proceedings are expected to begin later this summer.
The Source
Information in this story came from the Thurston County Sheriff's Office and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
Anti-ICE protesters clash with police at Seattle Federal Building
Home of Seattle rapper Macklemore invaded, nanny maced: police
2 dead after 'tragic' bus accident at Seattle retirement home
WA deputies arrest teens for pistol-whipping boy, armed robberies
Cyberattack hits supplier to Whole Foods and PCC; could impact store supplies
To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter.
Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
‘I Want to Clear My Name': Deported Migrant Takes First Step to Sue the U.S.
A Venezuelan migrant took the first step on Thursday toward suing the United States for what he says was his wrongful detention and removal to a notorious prison in El Salvador. Neiyerver Adrián Leon Rengel, 27, spent four months in the Terrorism Confinement Center, or CECOT, where he said he was beaten and abused. He filed an administrative claim on Thursday with the Homeland Security Department, accusing U.S. immigration agencies of removing him without due process. It is the first such claim to be filed by one of the 252 Venezuelan men who were expelled and sent to El Salvador in March, his lawyers said, and is a necessary step before taking legal action against the U.S. government in federal court. Mr. Rengel, who is seeking $1.3 million in damages, was released last week as part of a large-scale prisoner swap between Venezuela and the United States. He is now living in Venezuela. 'I want to clear my name,' he said in a phone interview late Wednesday from his home in the state of Miranda. 'I am not a bad person.' The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on Mr. Rengel's claim. The detention of Venezuelan men in El Salvador in March was one of the first high-profile efforts to fulfill President Trump's campaign promise of mass deportations. His administration has accused the migrants of belonging to a Venezuelan gang, Tren de Aragua, and his administration has used the Alien Enemies Act, a rarely invoked wartime law, to justify capturing and removing many of the men to El Salvador. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Bloomberg
2 hours ago
- Bloomberg
Trump Ally Sues Powell Demanding FOMC Meeting Public Access
An investment firm headed by a supporter of President Donald Trump sued Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell and other Fed officials demanding public access to monetary policy meetings. James Fishback's Azoria Capital said in a suit filed Thursday that the decades-old practice of holding Federal Open Market Committee meetings behind closed doors violates government transparency laws. The fund asked a federal court in Washington to require the Fed to open its July 29-30 meeting.
CBS News
2 hours ago
- CBS News
U.S. Dept. of Education investigating 2 Michigan universities for alleged exclusionary scholarships under DACA
The U.S. Department of Education says it's investigating five American universities, including two in Michigan, for what it called possible violations of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, saying their DACA-affiliated scholarship programs may be discriminatory. The investigation, announced Wednesday, is targeting the University of Michigan and Western Michigan University, along with the University of Louisville, the University of Nebraska Omaha and the University of Miami. The federal education department says its intention is to "determine whether these universities are granting scholarships only for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals." DACA, often referred to as the Dream Act, has allowed hundreds of thousands of immigrants who crossed into the U.S. illegally or overstayed their visas as minors to live and work in the U.S., without fear of deportation. The education department drew attention to the University of Wisconsin's Dreamer scholarship and Western Michigan University's WMU Undocumented/DACA Scholarship. Neither the Trump Administration's America first policies nor the Civil Right (sic) Act of 1964's prohibition on national origin discrimination permit universities to deny our fellow citizens the opportunity to compete for scholarships because they were born in the United States," Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor said. In announcing their investigation, the education department said they will also "examine additional scholarships that appear to exclude students based on other aspects of Title VI, including race and color." Kay Jarvis, director of public affairs at the University of Wisconsin, responded to Wednesday's announcement, saying, "The university has received a letter of notification relating to this matter. We have no further comment." CBS Detroit has reached out to Western Michigan University for comment and is awaiting a response. Last week, the same department announced it was launching a separate investigation into the University of Wisconsin following the arrests of Chinese nationals in a number of pathogen smuggling Montoya-Galvez and DeJanay Booth-Singleton contributed to this report.
