A shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, has left a teacher, a student, and the teenage suspect dead, with six other students injured. The incident occurred Monday morning at the K-12 school, which serves approximately 390 students.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes reported that two of the injured students are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, while four others sustained non-life-threatening wounds. The shooting was contained to a single area within the school, though officials have not specified whether it occurred in a classroom or hallway. The teenage suspect, who used a handgun and was also a student at the school, was found dead when police arrived at 10:57 a.m. No officers discharged their weapons during the response.
Eyewitness John Diaz De Leon described an overwhelming emergency response, with police cars, fire department vehicles, and paramedics flooding the typically quiet neighborhood. He observed officers with long guns securing the scene while older students fled the building, followed by younger students being evacuated in an orderly fashion.
While the suspect’s family is cooperating with authorities, Chief Barnes, a former teacher himself, indicated that the motive remains unclear. The police have confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the community.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway expressed her dismay at the tragedy reaching her city and called for stronger gun violence prevention measures. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers released a statement describing the “gut-wrenching tragedy,” while State Superintendent Jill Underly emphasized the urgent need for improved school safety measures.
School officials are currently working with law enforcement to reunite students with their families as the community begins to grapple with this devastating event.
