Rob AriasOver a month has passed since the horrific and apparent randomly targeted robbery/shooting of Alex Madias near the Emeryville Amtrak Station on February 11th. Since then, information on the circumstances and suspect have been hard to come by.
The EPD posted a Nixle update on Sunday stating that they were actively following up on all investigative leads. “Video recovered from the area the night of the shooting continues to be analyzed and tips from the community have provided leads.”
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ABC Channel 7 reporter Leslie Brinkley’s February 20th video segment includes an interview with Madias’ brother Theo. His brother created a GoFundMe Page to help his brother’s recovery that has netted over a $100K.
The last update on the condition of Madias was provided about a month ago:
“Alex continues to stay stable, which for the next few days is critical to any REAL healing that can bring him back to us. His strength is dependent on him right now, but the moral support we give him is a clear reflection of the community around us that has kept our family going. We love each of you for your contribution to Alex’s success and turn-around. We cannot begin to thank you enough.”
Theo described his brother as the type of guy that would “give the shirt off his back” even to the person who shot him. Madias raised guide dogs for the blind and was an avid Star Wars fan who made appearances at local hospitals as a member of the 501st Legion enthusiast club.
Alex was walking with a friend from the Amtrak station when approached by the suspect from behind. The suspect demanded money then shot Madias in the back of the head when he did not comply.
Emeryville Police Chief Jennifer Tejada, who is featured in the ABC news segment, noted the suspect was described by a witness as “a dark-skinned male, 18 to 25 years old, wearing dark clothing.”
Meanwhile, Emeryville’s leadership has been notably silent on the subject. It is not uncommon for our Council to acknowledge the victims of national disasters and other non-local events during the special announcements segment or end of council meetings. There wasn’t a single mention of the plight of Madias at the council meeting following this tragedy.
The EPD has beefed up patrols in and around the area in response to the incident. “Our high visibility patrols in the area of the Amtrak station will continue as the investigation proceeds,” noted EPD Captain Oliver Collins in the most recent advisory.
Anyone with information regarding the recent shooting is encouraged to contact the Emeryville Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Section at (510) 596-3774.
The police STILL after 6 weeks haven’t released the video of the shooter. They have it. They just are determined not to release it. If you speak with an officer, you can get a more complete description of the suspect (!!!!!!!!!!!!@#%@#%)
There is more recent information on Alex’s CaringBridge site where the family is keeping a journal.
From today:
“Alex is still in critical condition but is progressing every day. He still has an infection but the docs are on top of it. He is completely off the vent, breathing on his own, and off the IV meds. They are cutting back on the painkillers and other meds as well. He is exercising his legs, hands and arms. He is mouthing words but for a number of reasons he is unable to vocalize. Small motor skills are a challenge but he is trying to communicate through gestures, writing, typing. He is working hard but is very frustrated and wants to go home. He will eventually transfer to a Kaiser facility. There are a number of medical factors that need to be in place for him to move. We are very happy with our neurosurgeon here and trust that Alex will move when he deems it is safe for Alex to do so. There are still a couple surgeries to come. It is still being discussed whether the next surgery will be before or after he goes to Kaiser.
Many people have asked about visiting. We ask for your continued patience as we limit visitors to close family and friends. Alex tires easily and he is easily frustrated. This mental stress is not good for his healing process. If you would like to visit please check in with Robyn or Marti. We may ask you to hold off until a future time when Alex is more stable. Remember that we are in the early legs of this marathon. Alex will be needing support and visitors a bit further along in the race.
We appreciate the support, prayers and positive energy that everyone is sending.”
From March 14, 2018:
“From Marti-to start with the usual disclaimers and cautions, Alex is still critical and not out of the woods. Infection is still a concern. That said, we had some big advancements. This morning with the help of Nurse Delores Alex was able to get his tongue completely in the mouth. Then with encouragement from nurse Lesley and the respiratory team Alex went off the vent and is breathing normally all on his own. These are HUGE steps towards eating and talking and eventually having trach and PEG removed. He’s communicating with hand signals and sometimes gets frustrated, but he’s keeping his sense of humor and making us laugh 🙂 We love you Alex! “
I wonder how many times I’ve passed the shooter on the streets of Emeryville in the past six weeks.
And another week passes and the public still doesn’t have video or stills of the suspect.
EPD: MAKE AN ARREST OR RELEASE THE TAPE!!!!!!
Tomorrow marks two months since the shooting.
Alex Madias finally left the hospital on April 6th after nearly two months.
EPD still has not released the videos they have of the shooter.