Nisqually Valley News staff
The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning to be on the lookout for Damian Madison, a 27-year-old man who shot at a pursuing Thurston County Sheriff’s Office K9 unit 15 times with an AR15 on Thursday, May 8.
As of Monday, May 12, TCSO was offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the capture of Madison.
According to Thurston County Sheriff’s Office, Madison, a 10-time convicted felon, was involved in his third high speed chase in six months before he opened fire on a TCSO K9 unit with an AR15 during a chase that began in the Tenino area.
Sheriff Derek Sanders wrote that the incident occured after Madison was released from jail after the agency captured him for two prior high speed chases where he was allegedly armed both times. Sanders noted Madison was out on “community custody” for his prior prison sentence involving firearm-related offenses.
In a statement on Monday, May 12, Sanders wrote that the agency has located, arrested and extradited an accomplice who allegedly assisted Madison. According to the sheriff, the accomplice has been booked for first-degree rendering criminal assistance, which is a Class B felony.
The sheriff added that anyone who harbors, transports, provides funds or assists Madison in his effort to flee from police will be sought out and arrested for rendering criminal assistance.
A multi-day manhunt for Madison has been underway; however, the alleged shooter is still at large and TCSO warns that he’s placed “everyone he comes in contact with in jeopardy.”
“He has made statements that he will not be taken alive. We have been urgently attempting to get word out to other police agencies so an unsuspecting police officer isn’t killed trying to pull him over,” Sanders wrote online. “Soft stances on hardened criminals only further embolden their efforts to hurt others. Our citizens and law enforcement officers deserve better than this.”
