A youth opened fire at a private Christian school Monday morning in Wisconsin, killing two people in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died, police said.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes offered no details on the victims but said other people were wounded at Abundant Life Christian School, a K-12 school with about 390 students. Police previously said a total of five people had died.
Madison police in a statement said the suspected shooter was a student at the school. Police said seven people were hurt with injuries ranging broadly from “minor to life-threatening.”
“Today is a sad, sad day, not only for Madison but for our entire country,” Barnes told reporters.
He said police were alerted shortly before 11 a.m. and did not fire their weapons when they rushed into the school. Barnes suggested the shooter died by suicide.
“They found the person responsible who was down, deceased,” the chief said.
Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., where multiple injuries were reported following a shooting, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.
Scott Bauer / The Associated Press
Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
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Police blocked off roads around the school. Federal agents were at the scene to assist local law enforcement.
“We are praying for the kids, educators, and entire Abundant Life school community as we await more information and are grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond,” Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.
In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and officials were in touch with local authorities to provide support.
Abundant Life Christian School is nondenominational.
John Diaz De Leon, who lives nearby and attends the adjacent City Church, told WMTV-TV he heard an intense blare of sirens as police responded.
“I didn’t know there were that many squad cars in Madison. We saw a few guys with long guns. They went into the school with a dog,” De Leon said of police. “Later on I saw groups of kids coming out of the school into the church sanctuary.”
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
— Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report
© 2024 The Canadian Press
