Police are investigating a school shooting in Wisconsin, where a teenage girl killed two people, injured six others, and died from a self-inflicted gunshot. According to the police chief, the motives behind the attack appear to be complex.
Authorities are investigating a school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old girl killed a teacher and a student before fatally shooting herself, according to the Associated Press.
Crime scene tape surrounds Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin on December 17, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
The attack also left six others injured, including two students who remain in critical condition.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes shared that investigators are working to understand the reasons behind the attack. "Identifying a motive is our top priority, but at this time it appears that the motive is a combination of factors," he said.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes talks to the media about the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 16, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
As part of the investigation, police are examining potential bullying at the school, personal writings believed to be from the shooter, Natalie Rupnow, and her online activity.
"There are always signs of a school shooting before it occurred," Barnes added, urging the public to share any relevant information about Rupnow's experiences.
Workers repair the Madison home of 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow after police damaged it during an entry on December 17, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
The attack has left the Abundant Life Christian School community in shock. The nondenominational school, serving prekindergarten through high school, has about 420 students.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Dane County Executive Joe Parisi declined to name the victims, citing privacy concerns. "Leave them alone," Rhodes-Conway said during a press conference.
"We will never be the same, but we will get through this together." Satya Rhodes-Conway, the mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, says the school shooting on Monday was a “terrible and traumatic event," and that school staff and first responders “acted without hesitation to protect our… pic.twitter.com/LXYya7W6Ip
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 17, 2024
Outside the school, community members have begun paying tribute to the victims. Mackenzie Truitt, whose brother graduated from Abundant Life, placed a red poinsettia at the entrance. "My heart sunk because I know how awesome a lot of these kids are," Truitt shared.
Truitt described the widespread fear during the shooting, highlighting the distress of not being able to contact loved ones. She called the experience deeply unsettling for everyone involved.
People attend a vigil at the state Capitol building to mourn the victims of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 17, 2024 | Source: Getty Images
Meanwhile, police have not disclosed how the weapon was obtained, and the investigation is ongoing.
