The apparently retaliatory violence is rare in Madison, Koval noted. “I don’t think we’ve seen anything the likes of this in our time,” he said.

“Bullets are flying in areas where innocent bystanders are present,” Madison police spokesman Joel DeSpain said. “Fortunately, the bystanders have not been hit.”

Police have not said how they believe the Haynes’ shooting is related to the other two homicides, nor had they named suspects in the first two killings as of Thursday night.

Officials did identify four “persons of interest” Thursday that officers want to talk to about the two city of Madison homicides — William D. Flowers, Lordie J. Cole, Michael J. Collins and Travis G. Smith Jr.

Four additional people were identified as persons of interest in recent shootings around the city that either injured people or damaged cars and houses: Maurice Graham, Mitchell J. Hallmon, Michael J. Hallmon and Sorrell A. Gilmore.

Police asked for the public’s help in finding all eight men.

“We can’t be everywhere at all times,” Koval said, though he acknowledged that some people reluctant to share information with police were motivated by perhaps well-founded fear, not by any desire to uphold a no-snitching code.