A tragic shooting occurred at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday, when a 15-year-old girl opened fire in a classroom, killing a student and a teacher while injuring six others before taking her own life.
The incident took place shortly before 11 a.m. in a mixed-grade study hall at the school, which serves 420 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade.
The shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha, was a student at the school.
A second-grade student, aged around 7 or 8, was the one who called 911 to report the shooting, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said during a press conference.
He emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “Let that soak in for a minute.”
The two fatalities included a teenage student and a teacher, although their identities have not been released.
Two other students were critically injured and are in life-threatening condition, while another teacher and three students sustained injuries but are expected to survive.
The shooting is part of an alarming trend of school violence in the U.S.
In 2024, there have been 322 school shootings, marking the second-highest total on record, only behind last year’s figure of 349.
However, Monday’s incident was notable for being carried out by a female, as women are responsible for only about 3% of mass shootings in the U.S.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and police are investigating how the girl obtained the handgun used in the attack.
Chief Barnes questioned how a 15-year-old could access a gun, acknowledging the broader issue of gun accessibility.
The shooter’s parents are cooperating with the investigation, but authorities have not suggested any criminal involvement on their part.
Madison’s Mayor, Satya Rhodes-Conway, echoed the call for stronger action to prevent gun violence, emphasizing the need for change in both the country and the community.
“We need to do better in our country and our community to prevent gun violence,” she said.
The shooter arrived at school on time and, about three hours into the school day, pulled out the handgun.
Once the shooting started, students followed lockdown procedures and were later evacuated to a safe location where they reunited with their parents.
Barbara Wiers, the school’s director, praised the students for handling the situation with courage, noting that they are trained for such emergencies, though they knew the situation was real when the lockdown was announced.
The incident highlights the ongoing debates in the U.S. over gun control and school safety.
Following similar tragedies, President Joe Biden has repeatedly urged Congress to pass stricter gun-control legislation, a call that has often been ignored.
In response to the Uvalde shooting in 2022, Biden signed the first major federal gun reform in decades.
However, gun violence continues to devastate communities across the nation, including schools in urban, suburban, and rural areas.
This Wisconsin shooting occurred just two days after the 12th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history, where 26 people, including 20 children, were killed.
Polling shows that a majority of Americans support stronger gun control measures, such as expanded background checks and stricter gun storage laws.
Despite this, political leaders have largely refrained from acting, citing constitutional protections for gun owners.
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