By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-16 21:45:11 | Updated at 2024-12-16 23:41:37
1 hour ago
A student at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, opened fired on Monday killing two others and injuring several others.
The bloodbath resulted in three casualties - one student, one teacher and the shooter - and six others transported to area hospitals which include children just days before Christmas break.
The suspected shooter was a teen who attended the school and was found dead by police from a self-inflicted gunshot.
A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told CNN the shooter was female.
'We know that the suspect shooter was a teenage student who attended the school,' Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
However, police are not releasing the age or gender of the suspected shooter at this time.
'Again, as difficult as today is, that's still someone's child that's gone, that's still someone that has to deal with what happened today. And so we want to make sure that we can ensure as much cooperation as we can,' he said.
Barnes noted the family of the suspected shooter is cooperating with the investigation.
The bloodbath resulted in three casualties - one student, one teacher and the shooter - and six others transported to area hospitals
The suspected shooter was a teen who attended the school and was found dead by police from a self-inflicted gunshot.
A student at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin , opened fired on Monday killing two others and injuring several others
'Why did this happen? What do we know? What was the motivation?' Barnes said. 'I do not know.'
It is unknown if the suspect had any contact with law enforcement prior to deadly shooting.
'We do not know that the shooter had any prior contact with law enforcement. But I did do a check of the school,' Barnes said.
'There were some calls, but they were like 911 hang-ups, things of that nature. There was nothing that suggested that the school was a place that violence would occur.'
Chief Barnes said happened in 'one space' in the building, but did not say whether it was a classroom or hallway.
'Six other people were injured, two students are now in critical condition in the hospital, and these injuries are considered life threating injuries,' Barnes said.
'Four students are also at other area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.'
A handgun was discovered by officers at Abundant Life Christian School and students are being interviewed by police.
A law enforcement official briefed on the shooting told CNN the shooter was female
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes called for compassion saying, 'That's still someone's child that is gone'
Barnes said around 10:57 a.m. officers responded to calls of an active shooter.
'When officers arrived, they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds,' he said.
Barnes added that officers did not fire any shots at the school when responding to the incident.
The police chief said that the two victims in Monday's school shooting were a teacher and a student.
The third deceased person was the shooter, who appears to have killed themselves before police arrived at the school.
Police are not releasing other information about those who have lost their lives until next of kin are briefed.
'I'm not going to give any information about who the victims are, whether they're students, staff or parents, because we need to make sure that we can notify people,' Barnes said.
Police sources told the Associated Press they believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol.
Abundant Life Christian School has about 390 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
The school was just days away from closing for Christmas Vacation and students were gearing up for Monday night's basketball game.
