‘Shattered’: Three dead, including teacher and student, in US school shooting

Police have identified the teenage girl who was behind a school shooting in a Christian school in the US’ midwest.

A teenage girl has been identified as the shooter in an attack at a US school shooting, which left a teacher and another teenage student dead.

Police have named the shooter as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow – who went by the name Samantha – a student at the school in Madison, Wisconsin.

Gunfire broke out just before 11am on Monday, US time, at the Abundant Life Christian School just over a week out from Christmas.

The private Christian school teaches children from kindergarten to year 12.

“The shooting happened inside a classroom in a study hall of students from mixed grades,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.

Rupnow died en route to a hospital after what is believed to have been a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The two others killed were a teacher and another teenage student. Police have not yet released further details about the victims.

Six others have been injured, with two in critical condition.

Four others, including a teacher and three students, were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Two of the survivors have since been released from the hospital, police said, without identifying the victims.

Gunfire broke out just before 11am on Monday at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin which has a population of about 300,000. Picture: Facebook/Olivia Buss

The shooter, who is one of the dead, was a 17-year-old female student, a law enforcement official said. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty/AFP

Second grade student called 911

Police said a second grade student called 911 just before 11am to report the shooting.

“Let that soak in for a minute,” Barnes said at a news conference on Monday night, US time. “A second grade student called 911 at 10.57am to report a shooting at school.”

Officers did not fire any shots after arriving at the school and found the juvenile suspect already dead, police said.

A handgun has been seized.

“When officers arrived they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said earlier on Monday.

“Officers located a juvenile, who they believe is responsible for this, deceased in the building.”

By chance, police medics were on a training session in the city and rushed down to the school.

Chief Barnes said it was a “sad day for Madison and our country”.

Madison, Wisconsin Police Chief Shon Barnes speaks during a press conference after the tragedy. Picture: WISC

One student told CNN they heard “gunshots, then someone started crying”.

“I was scared, why did they do that? Why?”

In a statement on social media on Monday night, Abundant Life Christian School confirmed all surviving students have reunited with their families.

“We are grateful for all the support,” it wrote.

“We have been flooded with thoughts and prayers. This great nation is behind us.”

Six people were injured in the shooting. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty/AFP

A family leave the shelter after multiple injuries were reported following a shooting. Picture: AFP/Morry Gash

Shooting reportedly planned

Chief Barnes said many have questioned the motive behind the shooting.

“Why did this happen? What do we know? What was the motivation?” he questioned when speaking to media. “I do not know.”

A law enforcement official familiar with the investigation told CNN the shooter reportedly planned the attack in advance.
Police believe the shooter had been at school at the start of the day.

“We have no information that there was some type of breach to the school,” Chief Barnes said.

In his latest update on Monday night, US time, the Chief Barnes said the suspect’s father was speaking with police.

“Police are trying to determine what he may knew [sic] or may have not known about what happened today, but again, he lost someone as well,” he said.

Police said the school building has been cleared and there are no other threats to the community.

Female shooter “unusual”

Former senior FBI profiler Mary Ellen O’Toole told CNN: “Having a female shooter is extremely unusual.”

One FBI study found women only made up about four per cent of active shooter incidents – defined as “an individual engaging in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area”.

According to the FBI list from 2000 to 2016, nine of the 220 incidents had female shooters, with women usually armed with handguns.

More recent data by the Statista Research Department found women only carried out four of the 145 mass shootings in the US since 1982.

The shooting occurred just over a week before Christmas. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty/AFP

“Act now”

US President released a statement, condemning the “shocking and unconscionable” incident.

“It is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence. We cannot continue to accept it as normal. Every child deserves to feel safe in their class room,” he said in a statement.

“Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover.”

US President Joe Biden condemned the “shocking and unconscionable” incident. Picture: Saul Loeb/AFP

Mr Biden, who will leave office next month, said his administration has taken “aggressive action” gun violence but argued “more is needed”.

“Congress must pass commonsense gun safety laws: Universal background checks. A national red flag law. A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines,” he continued.
“We can never accept senseless violence that traumatises children, their families, and tears entire communities apart.”

: Students are escorted from a church next to the Abundant Life Christian School and loaded on buses to be taken to a reunification centre. Picture: Scott Olson/Getty/AFP

A teacher and teenage student have been killed and six others injured. Picture: AP Photo/Scott Bauer

“Truly heartbroken”

Abundant Life Christian School requested prayers following the “active shooter incident”, in a post on social media on Monday morning.

“We will share information as we are able. Please pray for our Challenger Family,” the school wrote.

Many were quick to express their condolences and devastation in the comments.

“Praying for those poor kids … such a senseless act of violence right before Christmas. breaks my heart so much,” one person commented on the post.

“No words. I’m shattered,” another wrote.

“I am deeply saddened and truly heartbroken to hear about the shooting. This is an unimaginable tragedy,” said another.

Police investigate as emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School. Picture: AP Morry Gash

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers earlier said the community was “praying” for the students and staff at the school.

“We await more information and are grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond”.

The shooting took place just two days after the 12th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which left 26 people dead.

According to website the Gun Violence Archive, 648 people have died in the US in 2024 from 546 mass shooting incidents.

More to come …