MOUNT HOREB, Wisconsin — Wisconsin authorities promised Thursday a thorough investigation into the fatal police shooting of a student they said was armed outside a high school, as families in the community gathered to comfort each other.
Authorities did not release additional details Thursday about the investigation led by the Wisconsin Department of Justice and did not release the student’s name.
“When confronted with a deadly threat, they responded with deadly force,” Mount Horeb Police Chief Doug Vierck wrote in a Facebook post asking for patience with the ongoing investigation. “No officers, students or staff were injured other than the armed individual.”
Authorities have not said whether the student fired a gun, pointed it at police or what type of weapon he had.
The high school went into lockdown for several hours Wednesday, along with a nearby high school and elementary school, and did not release students until well into the afternoon. The district reported after 8 p.m. that all students had been reunited with family.
Attorney General Josh Kaul largely declined to answer questions Wednesday evening about what happened when police arrived at Mount Horeb Middle School, saying he could not jeopardize the investigation.
The Mount Horeb Area School District did not hold classes Thursday. On its Facebook page, the district said a room at the high school hosted a community meeting for families.
“Our community has experienced a collective crisis and together we will provide support and work toward recovery,” said a statement attributed to Superintendent Steve Salerno.
Law enforcement officials in Mount Horeb and Dane County referred all questions to the Department of Justice on Thursday. The small village is located about 25 miles west of the state capital of Madison.