A teacher and a student were killed and six others were injured when a 15-year-old girl opened fire inside her Madison, Wisconsin, Christian school on Monday.
According to authorities, the suspect, Natalie Rupnow, has also passed away. It seems that Samantha, the teenager, killed herself with a gunshot wound.
The young suspect allegedly used a firearm, according to the police. Authorities are looking into the provenance of the firearm and searching Rupnow’s house on the north side of Madison, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.
The motive is unclear, Barnes said at a press briefing.
During the briefing, Barnes stated that authorities were not concerned and that she did not know if the shooter was transgender. Whatever occurred today, in my opinion, has nothing to do with how she, he, or they might have desired to be recognized.
Officials stated on Monday that it is unclear if any of the victims were singled out.
At one of their sites, the suspect’s father was allegedly having a conversation with police.
Barnes claims that he too lost someone, but they are attempting to ascertain what he knew or might not have known about what transpired today.
Barnes added that Rupnow’s parents are not being charged by the police in relation to the shooting death.
Barnes reassured us that the parents are completely cooperating and that there is now no reason to suspect that they have committed a crime.
Barbara Wiers, Abundant Life Christian School’s director of elementary and school relations, stated that this has undoubtedly shocked the school community. However, we are aware that it impacts not only our school community but also Madison, the surrounding area, and all other schools.
The shooting happened in a study hall with a range of ages and grade levels just before eleven in the morning.
One of the second graders dialed 911.
Barnes advised taking a moment to process things. At 10:57 a.m., a second-grader reported a school shooting to 911.
According to her, the school has other security measures in place, like cameras, but neither metal detectors nor a school resource officer.
We had some retraining prior to the start of the academic year. We are working on this. As part of our routine drill procedures, we practice lockdowns and evacuations. “Our faculty members are knowledgeable about that,” she said.
We looked at some new improvements that were included in the training we did with the Madison Police Department at the start of the year, before the students returned to school. For our faculty, everything was therefore, in my opinion, completely new.
How well our pupils did in that process is beyond me. They were clearly scared when they learned that this was only a drill. Weirs stated, “But they handled themselves brilliantly,” adding that they knew it was true when they heard “lockdown, lockdown, and nothing else.”
According to Barnes, three other children and a teacher suffered non-life-threatening injuries, while two pupils remain in serious condition with potentially fatal injuries.
Two of the four injured people were released from SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital Madison on Monday night.
At 10:57 a.m., officers were called to an active shooter situation.
According to Barnes, no cops fired their firearms and the man was already deceased when the police arrived.
Although the gunshot was limited to a single area, the chief did not say if it took place in a hallway or a classroom.
The suspect was inside the school, according to the police, and no one broke in.
Never in my life have I seen so many police cars, simply blue and red lights lining the streets and the school. John Diaz De Leon told ABC News Live that the fire brigade, paramedics, and everyone else were there, swarming the normally peaceful area.
He said he saw older children fleeing across the parking lot from the school and officers with long rifles at the site.
The younger youngsters holding hands were then let to cross the parking lot, he claimed, very slowly and in a more organized manner.
Barnes declared that the school had been cleared. “The community is not in danger,” he stated.
According to the police chief, the suspect’s family is cooperating.
According to Barnes, detectives are looking into if there were any possible warning indicators.
Barnes said that by Monday night, every student was back with their parents. The private school has about 390 pupils in kindergarten through the twelfth grade.
We hope that this will lead to some positive outcomes so that we can continue to serve other schools while also learning and growing, Weirs added.
The school community is currently relying on their faith, she said, thanking first responders for their support.
In a statement released Monday night, President Joe Biden called the situation “shocking and unconscionable” and urged Congress to take immediate action.
He pushed for the enactment of sensible gun control legislation, including a national red flag law, universal background checks, and prohibitions on assault rifles and magazines with a large capacity.
The statement said, “It is unacceptable that we cannot protect our children from this scourge of gun violence.” It went on: We can’t keep taking it for granted.
Along with highlighting the need for further action and expressing his thoughts for those impacted in Madison, Biden also discussed his administration’s initiatives to address the gun violence epidemic in the US, including the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
According to the Madison police chief, he started out as a teacher.
“We have an obligation to our community to make every effort to guarantee that schools are not only a unique location but also a secure one,” he said.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed his hope that this day would never arrive in Madison.
She underlined the significance of preventing gun violence and expressed her hope that the nation and community will make sure that no public official ever has to face this situation again.
“This tragedy is a stark reminder that we must do more to protect our children and our educators to ensure that such horrors never happen again,” said Jill Underly, the superintendent of public instruction for Wisconsin, who also underlined the need for change. Until we come up with solutions that make our schools safe, we won’t stop.
In his statement, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers described the massacre as a “gut-wrenching tragedy” and said, “There are no words to describe the devastation and heartbreak we feel.”
Evers revealed that he and his spouse are praying for the teachers, staff, and the entire Abundant Life school community, as well as for the relatives and loved ones of those whose lives were so senselessly taken.
He told me that it is unimaginable for a child or teacher to get up one morning, go to school, and never return home. This should never occur, and I will never give up trying to alter it or accept it as a given.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.