Suspect Faces Court for Brutal Attack on UW-Madison Student

In a Dane County courtroom, Brandon A. Thompson is set to appear following a savage assault that left a University of Wisconsin-Madison student hospitalized with life-threatening injuries earlier this week.

The 26-year-old, seemingly without any previous criminal record, now faces serious charges including first-degree sexual assault, first-degree reckless injury, and strangulation.

According to authorities, Thompson lingered near the crime scene after the horrific incident, where the victim was nearly fatally harmed. Witnesses reported that he casually claimed to have just discovered the victim.

However, by the time the police arrived, Thompson had vanished from the scene.

Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes revealed that Thompson was apprehended at 1:18 a.m. on Wednesday by the Fitchburg Police Department due to a registration violation. Fitchburg is situated approximately 5 miles south of Madison.

Notably, investigators have determined that Thompson had no prior connection to the victim.

Emergency responders discovered the victim at around 3:20 a.m. on Sunday, suffering from severe injuries. She was immediately rushed to the hospital, and while authorities anticipate her recovery, they did not provide details about her current condition during the news briefing.

A friend of the victim shared with WISN-TV that she sustained a broken jaw, in addition to being strangled, sexually assaulted, and physically assaulted.

[Image Source: Dane County Sheriff's Office]