A teenage gunman opened fire at a school in the US state of Wisconsin on Monday. He killed a classmate and a teacher and injured six other people before police found the suspect dead at the scene. The shooting occurred at Abundant Life Christian School, a private institution that serves about 400 students in kindergarten through 12th grade in Madison, the state capital.
Two students suffered life-threatening injuries, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said at a news conference. A teacher and three other students were shot and are expected to survive. Two of those victims have been released from the hospital, Barnes said. The shooter, a student at the school, was found dead in the school by officers. During a previous press conference there was “incorrect” talk of at least five deaths.
CNN and the Associated Press reported, citing unnamed police sources, that the shooter was a 17-year-old girl who turned the gun on herself after the crime. If the reports are confirmed, this would be a rarity, as studies show only about three percent of mass shootings are carried out by women.
A motive for the violent act, which authorities said took place in a room at the school, is not yet known. The family of the shooter is cooperating with the investigators, i.e. the police.
“Today is a sad, sad day — not just for Madison, but for the entire country,” Barnes said. “We must do more in our country and in our community to prevent gun violence,” said Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway. The White House says US President Joe Biden has been informed of the situation in Madison. They are in contact with the local authorities to provide support as needed.
The school asked for prayers via its Facebook account and said it would share more information as it becomes available.
In the USA, fatal shootings are part of everyday life. Firearms are readily available and widely circulated in the United States. Larger attacks, for example at schools, in supermarkets, in nightclubs or at large events, regularly lead to discussions about tightening gun laws – so far without any success. A substantial tightening of gun laws in the USA has been prevented by Republicans for years.
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database website, there have been 322 school shootings in the U.S. this year. That's the second-highest number since 1966, according to this database, surpassed only by last year's total of 349 shootings.
