In Madison, Wisconsin, at Abundant Life Christian School, a 15-year-old student opened fire in a study hall, claiming the lives of a teacher and a teenager and injuring six others. With a phone call from a second grader, police officers descended on the scene. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes shared that the shooter, Natalie Rupnow, succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital as reported by KSAT.
Amid the chaos, a health clinic served as a reunification point for parents and children nearly a mile from the school, according to the Associated Press. The incident took place yesterday with a 911 call received shortly before 11 a.m. Officers in training nearby responded within three minutes.
Abundant Life's Barbara Wiers told KSAT, "When they heard, 'Lockdown, lockdown,' they knew it was real." Barnes indicated that the school, housing approximately 420 students, had security measures like cameras in place, but metal detectors were not among them.
President Joe Biden, through a statement, implored Congress to enact stricter gun control measures, including universal background checks and red flag laws, as indicated by the Associated Press.
This school shooting adds to the growing number of violent incidents in U.S. schools, fueling the national debate on gun control and highlighting parents' concerns over active-shooter drills. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said in a statement obtaiend by KSAT, "I hoped that this day would never come to Madison."
