Madison (dpa) – According to police, at least two people were killed in a gun attack at a school in the US state of Wisconsin. The suspected shooter was also dead, the responsible police department in Madison said. During a previous press conference, there was “incorrect” talk of at least five deaths at the Christian school in the city of Madison.
According to American media reports, a 17-year-old student is said to have started the crime. The authorities only said that the fatalities were a teacher and a student; names were not released.
In addition to the dead, there were also several injured, said Police Chief Shon F. Barnes. However, there were also contradictory statements from the police. When asked, Barnes did not comment on the possible background to the crime or whether the shots were fired by a man or a woman. But he emphasized that the police did not shoot.
US President Biden: “shocking and unscrupulous”
“Today is a sad, sad day — not just for Madison, but for the entire country,” Barnes said. US President Joe Biden called the act “shocking and unscrupulous.” He is calling on Congress to act and tighten gun laws. It is “unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence.”
The school in the Midwest USA asked for prayers via their Facebook account and said they would provide more information as soon as possible. According to media reports, around 390 students from kindergarten to twelfth grade attended the school.
Gun violence is a major problem in the USA
In the United States, deadly gun violence is part of everyday life. Weapons are not only readily available there, but are also in circulation in enormous numbers. Particularly serious acts of violence, for example at schools, in supermarkets, nightclubs or at public events, repeatedly spark heated debates about tightening gun laws – but so far without any tangible progress. Substantial reform of gun laws has been blocked by Republicans for years.
The nation's top health official declared gun violence a national health crisis in June. According to official information, thousands of people die every year from injuries caused by firearms – whether through third-party or personal negligence. Weapon injuries are one of the most common causes of death among children and young people.
