Madison Mayor Paul Soglin says he’ll offer money from his office’s budget to people who provide information that leads to guns used in shootings.
At a press conference on Tuesday, the mayor responded to ongoing gun violence in the city with a call for Madison residents to step up. “There’s a responsibility on the part of every person who knows somebody who’s fired into a home, who’s fired into a vehicle, who’s shot another person, to come forward,” the mayor said.
As an incentive, Soglin said he’s prepared to provide a thousand dollars from his office’s budget to anyone who can assist in getting an illegal gun off the streets.
“Desperate situations require innovative solutions,” said West side alder Paul Skidmore, who spoke with reporters following Soglin’s remarks.
Soglin said the offer takes effect immediately and, in the meantime, his staff is continuing to review the effectiveness of gun bounty programs being used in other cities. Soglin said people who provide information on illegal guns can do so – and receive the payment — anonymously.
Madison police continue to search for the shooter in a Monday incident in which a woman was struck by flying glass when a bullet went through her window. She managed to drive to the police department’s west precinct to get help. Police believe the shooter was targeting someone else.