Abundant Life Christian School shooting: What to know
The Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, was the site of a tragic shooting on December 16, 2024, which resulted in three fatalities, including the shooter, and multiple injuries. The incident occured shortly before Christmas, with a second-grade student dialing 911 at 10:57 a.m. local time to report the gunfire. Police were dispatched instantly, and officers arrived on the scene just three minutes later, confirming the shooter was neutralized by 11:05 a.m.
The shooting reportedly took place in a study hall classroom filled with students from various grades. Emergency responders set up a reunification center for parents and began transporting the injured shortly after the situation was contained. While detailed data about the victims has not been disclosed, the community is left grappling with the aftermath of this devastating event.
What to know about the Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Wisconsin
The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday left three people dead, including the shooter, and several others wounded, just over a week before Christmas.
Less than 24 hours after police rushed to the scene of the shooting at the K-12 school in Wisconsin’s capital city, the suspected gunman is dead, and some of the victims are still injured. Here is what we know about the school shooting.
What happened?
The gunman opened fire Monday morning, prompting a second grade student to call 911 to report the shooting at 10:57 a.m. local time. Police said they dispatched officers at that time, with the first law enforcement officers arriving three minutes later and entering the school.
Law enforcement officials said at 11:05 a.m. Central time, the officers who were inside the school confirmed the gunman was down and that a firearm had been recovered, with a parent reunification center being set up and the fire department arriving at the same time. The school began being cleared at 11:14 a.m., and the Madison Fire Department started moving patients 12 minutes later.
The shooting itself was confined to one classroom, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes. The classroom was a “study hall full of students from mixed grades,” law enforcement said.
Who were the victims?
Officials have not released the names of any of the victims, but the two killed were a teacher and a “teenage student,” who were pronounced dead at the scene. As of Tuesday morning, two students remain in critical condition with “life-threatening injuries,” according to the Madison Police Department.
Among the other victims, a teacher and three other students were taken to the hospital with “non-life-threatening injuries,” of which two have been released from the hospital and the other two are “considered stable.”
Who was the shooter?
Police identified the shooter as Natalie Rupnow, 15, who went by “Samantha.” She was a student at the school, but a motive has not been determined by law enforcement.
Rupnow was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital, with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, but police said the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office will conduct an examination to determine the cause of death.
The shooter used a 9 mm pistol in her attack, according to officials.
Police said Rupnow’s family is being cooperative in the investigation, and law enforcement searched her home as part of the investigation.
What has the reaction been?
The school requested prayers in the immediate aftermath of the shooting and later expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support after the tragedy.
“All of our students have been united with their parents and we are grateful for all the support. We have been flooded with thoughts & prayers. This great nation is behind us. So grateful for the tsunami of prayers for our students, staff, & families,” Abundant Life Christian School said in a post on Facebook.
President Joe Biden called the shooting “shocking and unconscionable” and called for action on gun legislation in Congress. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), who represents Madison in Congress, also called for action from the chamber.
Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI) said in a lengthy statement on Monday that there are “no words to describe the devastation and heartbreak we feel today.”
“Kathy and I join the people of Wisconsin in praying for the families and loved ones of those whose lives were so senselessly taken and for the educators, staff, and the entire Abundant Life school community as they grapple with the grief, trauma, and loss of this gut-wrenching tragedy. We are also praying and hoping all those injured survive and recover,” Evers said.
“Kathy and I are also keeping in our hearts the first responders who acted quickly and ran toward danger to help save lives. This day will no doubt weigh heavily on them, and we are grateful for their critical response efforts in answering the call when they were needed most,” he added while saying he will never accept school shootings “as a foregone reality.”
Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ron Johnson (R-WI) also expressed their condolences to those affected by the shooting in separate statements.
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