The Republican Party of Dane County is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic murder of Christine Jones, a 61-year-old Cottage Grove resident who was shot and killed in Downtown Madison on her way to work. According to publicly available reports, the suspect, a former coworker, has been charged in court with first-degree intentional homicide.


This was a deliberate, targeted act of violence against a woman simply trying to live her life. It is heartbreaking. It is unacceptable and reflects a deep erosion of basic human decency that our community cannot ignore.


Violence of this kind does not emerge in a vacuum. It grows in a culture where dehumanization — political, personal, or otherwise — has become far too common. When disagreements turn into resentments, and resentments turn into justification for violence, we lose the very thing that makes a community a community – our shared humanity.


RPDC condemns this killing in the strongest possible terms. No grievance, no workplace conflict, no personal resentment ever excuses violence. Ever. Some will be tempted to turn this tragedy into a partisan argument or to deflect towards national political debates. We reject that impulse. It is about a woman in Dane County who lost her life. We urge every Dane County resident, regardless of background or belief, to recommit to the most basic civic shared responsibility: treating one another as human beings worthy of dignity, safety, and respect for one another.


As this case moves through the justice system, we call on community leaders, elected officials, and residents alike to reflect on how we can rebuild a culture of respect, accountability, and compassion.


Dane County deserves better. Our neighbors deserve better. We must all do better. Be better humans. Choose decency. Reject violence.


We extend our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and coworkers of Christine Jones.

Sources:

Madison woman accused of killing former coworker appears in court on homicide charge | Crime | wkow.com

$2 Million bail set for suspect in deadly garage shooting | Crime | wkow.com

For media inquiries, please contact:

Republican Party of Dane County
chair@rpdc.org