Authorities said that a teenager who attended Abundant Life Christian School opened fire on Monday, killing a teacher and a pupil at a private school in Wisconsin.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes told reporters that the accused gunman, a female student, was dead and six people were injured.
What we know about the shooting is as follows:
When did the shooting happen?
At 10:57 a.m., authorities were called to Abundant Life Christian School, which is located east of Madison’s downtown, in response to a report of an active shooter, according to Barnes.
At a press conference on Tuesday, he stated that the 911 call was placed by a second-grade teacher. Barnes had misreported on Monday that the call was placed by a second-grader. It was an error. I’m sorry, and I’ll make it clear today. it’s my obligation, he replied.
According to Barnes, officers had been preparing for such situations at the time of the incident.
According to him, what started out as a training day turned into a reality.
Where did the shooting happen?
Established in 1978, the private school, located east of Madison’s downtown, educates about 335 students in kindergarten through the twelfth grade.
Barnes stated that children from a range of grade levels were present in the classroom when the shooting occurred during study hall.
Who are the victims?
According to Barnes, a teacher and a teenage pupil were shot and killed.
The victims were named Wednesday by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office as Erin M. West, 42, of Deforest, and Rubi P. Vergara, 14, of Madison.
According to the medical examiner’s office, Vergara and West died of trauma attributable to homicidal firearms after being declared dead at the site.
“A role tailor made for her abundant skills and breadth of knowledge,” said Barbara Wiers, director of communications at vast Life Christian School, describing West’s previous position as a substitute teacher before joining the school’s permanent staff as a sub coordinator and in-building replacement teacher.
The school “is a better school for the work of Erin West,” according to Wiers, who also described her passing as “a painful and deep one.”
According to Wiers, Vergara had attended the school since kindergarten and was a “blessing to her class and our school.”
According to authorities on Wednesday night, the three pupils and one instructor who were admitted to the hospital with minor wounds have all been released.
Due to potentially fatal injuries, two other pupils were transported to the hospital. As of Wednesday evening, according to the police, they are both still in the hospital.
According to Barnes, on Tuesday, some people questioned if the gunman had targeted the victims.
He claimed that everyone was the target of this tragedy. And the threat was the same for everyone.
Who is the shooter?
Barnes identified the suspect as 15-year-old Abundant Life student Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha.
Barnes said she died while being transported to a hospital from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.She died from trauma caused by a firearm, according to the medical examiner’s office, which also mentioned that more testing was being done.
According to him, the cause and manner of death will be officially determined by the county medical examiner.
The motive was unclear, according to the police.
According to Barnes, investigators have examined the house and spoken with the shooter’s family. According to Barnes, her parents are fully cooperating.
Barnes stated that a firearm was found, but he gave no other information.
How are officials responding?
President Joe Biden pushed Congress to enact gun reform laws, such as universal background checks and prohibitions on assault rifles and magazines with a large capacity, just hours after the shooting.
“From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, to so many other shootings that don t receive attention it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence,” Biden said in a statement. “We cannot continue to accept it as normal.”
Rep. Mark Pocan, a Democrat from Wisconsin, stated: “If we don’t take action, there will be more school shootings and more children killed. Our political representatives need to take more action. He also gave a phone number for anyone in need of assistance and the address of a reunification center.
“My condolences and prayers for all the victims of the tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School,” said Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.
He promised to keep a careful eye on the situation.
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