NBC15 Madison stopped in today to discuss the recent attacks on runners in Madison. Please be aware of your surroundings, run with a buddy, and stay safe!
By Jaleesa Irizarry | NBC15 News | Posted: Thu 5:58 PM, Aug 25, 2016 | Updated: Thu 10:25 PM, Aug 25, 2016
MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) — Incidents involving runners earlier this week have some being extra cautious.
Madison Police say the first happened Monday on South Shore Drive. A woman was stopped by a teenager with a t-shirt around his face asking her about her cell phone. When the woman ran to a nearby home for help, the teen took off as well.
On Tuesday, according to police, a man was running on Winnebago Street when he was punched in the face by another man. The victim suffered a possible broken nose, swollen eye and bloody face. The suspect did not try to take anything from the man and left the area.
Tom Kaufman an avid runner and an employee at Movin’ Shoes running store tells NBC15 over the last few decades the safety issues runners have had to deal with have definitely increased.
He says his best piece of advice for runners is to run without headphones. He says you should always be aware of your surroundings and headphones hinder that. He also suggest running in groups especially if you’re running at night. When NBC15 asked him if a runner should carry a cell phone he says that’s tough to answer.
“That becomes a double edge sword because if you have a cell phone and if someone wants your cell phone, and they see you running with it on your arm, that becomes something someone may want to target,” Kaufman said. “So having a cell phone certainly allows you to call for help if you need to, assuming you still have your cell phone after something might happen.”
With it starting to get darker earlier, Kaufman suggests running in highly populated and well-lit areas. He also says should you run at night you may want to invest in a headlamp.
Madison Police say they do have a description of the person who punched the male runner earlier this week. The suspect is described as a bald man around 5’10 wearing a black t-shirt and black sweatpants.
If you have any information on these incidents, contact Madison Police.
