A student at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, shot and killed a teacher and a fellow student Monday in an attack that also left six people wounded, officials said.
The authorities said the shooter was a 15-year-old girl who apparently died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The victims, two of whom remained hospitalized in critical condition, have not been publicly identified.
The attack at Abundant Life Christian School took place during the last week of classes before Christmas break, and it sent emergency responders scrambling to the small, close-knit school on Madison’s east side. Much about the shooting remained unclear as investigators looked for a motive and detectives searched a home that they believed was connected to the attack.
A 15-year-old girl fatally shoots a teacher and a teenager at a Christian school in Wisconsin
Here’s what we know:
When did the attack happen?
A second grader called 911 at 10:57 a.m. to report a shooting inside the school, Chief Shon F. Barnes of the Madison police said, and law enforcement officers began arriving three minutes later. He said officers immediately went inside and began searching for the shooter, who was found wounded at 11:05 a.m.
Audio that was archived online captured dispatchers scrambling to send emergency crews to the scene as the scope of the attack became clearer.
“OK, I’m hearing multiple things — possibly one deceased, maybe six people injured, at least two shot,” the dispatcher said.
Chris Carbon, the Madison fire chief, said that 15 ambulances and several fire engines ultimately responded, and that the injured were quickly taken to two local hospitals.
Who was killed and injured?
A teacher and a teenage student died in the attack. Their names and ages were not immediately released.
Six other people, one teacher and five students, were injured. As of Monday night, two victims had been released from the hospital, and of the four still hospitalized, two were in critical condition with life-threatening wounds.
What do we know about the shooter?
Authorities identified the shooter as Natalie Rupnow, 15, who went by Samantha and was a student at Abundant Life. Officials said she used a handgun in the attack. It was not clear how she acquired the gun.
Barnes said he was not aware of the suspect having any prior contact with law enforcement. He said her parents were cooperating with investigators, and “we have no reason to believe that they have committed a crime at this time.”
The police chief said detectives had searched the teenager’s home and were working to understand what happened, but were being respectful of the trauma the witnesses experienced.
“We’re not going to interrogate students,” Barnes said, adding that the police will give then an opportunity to speak when they feel ready.
What is known about Abundant Life Christian School?
Founded in 1978, Abundant Life is a private school that enrolls about 420 students from prekindergarten through grade 12. In interviews, people with ties to Abundant Life described a family-focused school with strong academics and an emphasis on Christian faith.
Barbara Wiers, an official at the school, said students and staff members had trained regularly to know how to respond to an attack. She said that cameras in the building were regularly monitored, but that the school did not have metal detectors or a police officer on campus.
She said students were “visually scanned” as they arrived on campus each day, and that Abundant Life had participated in government programs to “harden our school” against potential threats.
Wiers said she had spoken with parents at the reunification center who offered prayers and “were amazingly patient and kind.” She added: “We also have a very strong faith in our community that, in spite of tragedy, God is working.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
