A shooting at a small Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, has left two people dead and several others wounded. The 15-year-old shooter, identified as Natalie Rupnow, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police say the attack occurred during a study hall session, with students from kindergarten to high school present.
According to police, the shooting began at around 10:57 a.m., when a second-grade teacher called 911 to report a school shooting. The first officer on scene arrived just 24 seconds later and entered the building. Police medics, who were training in mass trauma incidents just a few miles away, responded quickly after leaving their training session.
Students at Abundant Life Christian School had previously practiced shooter drills, but authorities say they handled themselves bravely during the attack. Investigators are working to determine the motive behind the shooting and tracing the origin of the gun used by Rupnow.
The incident is part of a larger trend of school shootings in 2024, with at least 83 reported this year, surpassing last year’s total. President Joe Biden has called for action to address gun violence, urging Congress to pass commonsense gun safety laws, including universal background checks and a ban on assault weapons.
Local leaders are calling for greater action to prevent such tragedies from occurring in other communities across the country. The police chief who led the investigation described his own devastation at seeing students shot in his city, emphasizing the need for unity to support students and prevent future incidents.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/16/us/madison-wisconsin-school-shooting/index.html