MADISON, Wis. — A student opened fire at a private Christian school in Wisconsin on Monday morning, killing two people in the last week before the Christmas holidays. The shooter also died, police said.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes did not provide details about the victims but said other people were injured at Abundant Life Christian School, an elementary school with about 390 students.
Barnes said the suspected shooter was a student who likely died by suicide.
Here’s the latest:
Abundant Life Christian School took to its Facebook account Monday to ask for the community’s prayers after a school shooting left at least three people dead, including the shooter.
“Prayers requested! Today we had an active shooter incident at ALCS. We are working on the follow-up. We will share information when we can.
Please pray for our Challenger Family,” school staff posted on the Abundant Life Christian School Facebook page.
Hundreds of commenters offered prayers from across the country, some from former students, former teachers and alumni.
The school of approximately 390 students noted on its page in previous messages that this was the last school week before the holidays. Commenters also posted well wishes and prayers on videos of students on a field trip in recent weeks singing at the annual Christmas choir concert.
Bethany Highman rushed to the school her daughter attends as soon as her mother, who lives near the school, called her about the shooting. Highman said she was able to briefly FaceTime with her daughter so she knows she is safe.
Highman said she doesn’t actually know any details about what happened.
“We’re just as hungry for what’s going on as all of you are,” she said.
Highman said it’s surreal because you never expect to experience this, even though it does happen.
“I take my daughter to school knowing that this is happening in the world. That people are having a hard time. And I pray for the safety of my daughter and I pray for the safety of the entire school. I pray for the hearts of the students, the teachers, the staff. It is a very real thing.”
Highman’s world stood still when she got the call about the shooting.
“As soon as it happened, your world stands still for a moment. Nothing else matters. There is no one around you. You just run to the door and try to do everything you can as a parent to be with your children.
Highman said she is angry about the shooting and devastated for the families who lost loved ones.
It was Monday the latest among the dozens of school shootings in the US in recent years, including mostly fatal shootings Newtown, Connecticut, Parkland, FLAnd Uvalde, Texas.
The shootings have sparked heated debates over gun control and frayed the nerves of parents whose children are growing up accustomed to active shooter drills in their classrooms.
But school shootings have had little impact on the nation’s gun laws. Firearms were the main cause of death among children in 2020 and 2021, according to KFF, a nonprofit organization that researches health care issues.
Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm handgun, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
– By Alanna Durkin Richer
Police updated the death toll for the shooting.
Police often warn when announcing the number of victims after a shooting that the information is preliminary and may change. That’s not unusual, especially as investigators gather additional information and details about injuries.
“We are praying for the children, teachers and the entire Abundant Life school community as we wait for more information and are grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.
Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene to assist local law enforcement.
Abundant Life Christian School is non-denominational and has approximately 390 students, from kindergarten to high school, according to its website.