Court records are also unclear on when police learned Wallace bought a firearm. Jones’ family alleges that regardless, Madison police could have arrested Wallace in January and taken her firearm away before Jones was shot in March.
“My clients cannot understand why, when the police clearly knew that this individual had attempted to shoot (the January victim) in broad daylight on a Madison street, she was not charged with a crime,” Polich said. “They feel that the public ought to be concerned about this as a public safety issue.”
Beyond the monetary damages, the Jones family is seeking an audit of the Madison Police Department for its efficacy in protecting the public from gun crimes and supervision of the department by a third party.
City officials have 120 days to respond to the claim. If they outright deny the claim or don’t respond, Jones’ family intends to file a lawsuit against the city, Polich said.
Jones enjoyed spending time with her two grandchildren and fishing whenever she could, Mandi Whitford, her daughter, said in a statement. Whitford described her mother as being a hard worker with a huge heart and plans to move to Florida when she retired.