Suspect who shot at deputy with AR-15 style rifle arrested in Nevada

In the afternoon hours of Tuesday, May 13, Thurston County fugitive Damien Madison and his mother were arrested after a “multi-day, multi-state, multi-jurisdiction manhunt” that ended in Nevada near its border with California, according to Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders.

“Thurston County Sheriff’s Office is extremely grateful for all of our partner agencies along the West Coast who assisted in the seizure of Damien Madison,” Sanders said. “We also owe a special thanks to the FBI Criminal Apprehension Team that located Damien and utilized excellent tactics with surgical precision to safely capture him. Strong partnerships across local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies make for safer communities, and our community is a little safer today as a result of that collaboration.”

The manhunt occurred after Madison was involved in a vehicle pursuit as a passenger near Tenino on Thursday, May 8, and fired multiple rounds from an AR-15-style rifle and possibly a pistol, according to a Facebook post from Sanders. No deputies were injured, but a patrol vehicle was disabled. Photos provided by the sheriff’s office show bullet holes in the side of the vehicle.
The pursuit originated as Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies were attempting to arrest Madison on previous felony charges.

Prior to his arrest on May 13, the sheriff’s office issued a warning to be on the lookout for the suspect, Madison, 27, and offered a $5,000 reward for any information that led to his arrest. The agency noted Madison’s extensive history with the law, and noted he is a 10-time convicted felon.

The agency added the pursuit on May 8 was the suspect’s third high-speed chase in six months. The sheriff’s office and the Washington state Department of Corrections looked to multiple agencies for assistance in the manhunt, including the FBI and South Sound Gang Task Force, leading to a week-long search for Madison.

The FBI coordinated efforts that spanned multiple states and agencies in order to track Madison and his mother, who was aiding his efforts to evade law enforcement. The two were first located near Barstow, California, driving eastbound on Interstate 15.

As the two entered Nevada, the FBI Las Vegas Criminal Apprehension team, which includes FBI agents and task force officers, used a “grappler” to disable the vehicle Madison and his mother were driving.

“A multi-day, multi-state, multi-jurisdiction manhunt comes to an end,” Sanders wrote online around 2:20 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, following the arrest of Madison.

As of Tuesday May 20, Madison had not yet been booked into the Thurston County Jail.

Members of the FBI made statements following the arrests last week.

“Especially during Police Week, it is rewarding to see the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in Washington, California and Nevada join forces to combat violent crime,” said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office. “We work violent crime every day, and we encourage our partners to call us whenever we can provide specialized capabilities to assist. In addition, the FBI has a worldwide reach. Especially when violent criminals cross state lines, the FBI is ready with our specialized teams and resources in multiple field offices to track them down and keep our communities safe.”

“This arrest serves as a notable illustration of how law enforcement partnerships lead to successful apprehensions of dangerous fugitives,” added Spencer L. Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI Las Vegas Field Office. “The subject was taken into custody by our Criminal Apprehension Team, which is led by the FBI and includes the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Henderson Police Department, North Las Vegas Police Department, and the Nevada State Police Patrol and Probation.”