Woman opened fire during 911 call in deadly Gulfport road rage shooting, officer testifies
Rose Madge Madison took things into her own hands after a man pulled a gun on her while they were both driving down the road.
Now, Madison, 34, is charged with first-degree murder in what police have described as a “road rage incident.”
On Wednesday, Judge Brandon Ladner heard testimony in the case during a preliminary hearing in Harrison County Justice Court.
The judge agreed to lower Madison’s bond from $1 million to $200,000 after her attorneys, Warren L. Conway and Christopher Fisher, argued she had acted in self-defense.
The defense attorneys also asked the judge to find there was insufficient evidence to charge Madison with the crime, but the judge found probable cause to bound the case over to a Harrison County grand jury for indictment.
Madison is accused of shooting Antoine Johnson, 26, multiple times after she followed him in his car until he stopped at 41st Street and Searle Avenue the morning of July 8.
Days later, on July 20, Johnson died of multiple gunshot wounds at an Alabama hospital, where he had been on life support.
The Gulfport man had been shot twice in the lower back and buttocks area and once on the right side of his head just above his ear, a Gulfport police officer testified Wednesday.
Suspect reported driver to police before the shooting
Madison and Johnson first encountered one another when Johnson allegedly swerved into Madison’s lane while the two were driving on Three Rivers and Airport roads.
Madison, according to testimony, rolled down a window in her car and yelled at Johnson to watch what he was doing because he almost hit her car.
Johnson, she told police, then pulled out a gun while he was driving and allegedly threatened Madison.
Madison called 911 to report the driver to Gulfport police.
She also got Johnson’s tag number and reported that to authorities, but she decided to keep on following Johnson until he stopped at the scene of the shooting.
Shooting started during 911 call to police
When Johnson stopped his car, Madison pulled in behind him, but left a gap between the two cars, an officer said.
Madison told police she first started shooting her .40-caliber Glock at Johnson while she was still in the car.
She said when Johnson got out of his car and then turned around, he appeared to be reaching for something in his car. Madison said she thought he was grabbing his gun.
Madison was on a 911 call with police when the shooting started.
“She said that police needed to come get Mr. Johnson because he needed to be arrested and that if she unloaded on him, he was not going to make it and she was not going to let him go,” Gulfport police Officer Nicholas Oster testified.
When police got to the scene minutes later, they found Johnson on the ground outside his car. A gun was underneath his body, Oster said.
Police arrested Madison at the scene and recovered the gun she had used.
Madison was initially arrested on a charge of aggravated assault in the shooting, but police upgraded the charge to murder after Johnson’s death.
Madison has remained jailed in Harrison County since her arrest.
On Wednesday, Madison’s parents and her wife told the judge that if her bond were lowered, they would ensure she went to every court appearance and would not carry a gun as the judge instructed.
This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 11:07 AM.
