USA TODAY
Two people were killed and several others wounded Monday when a student opened fire at a private school in Wisconsin, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
Officers responding to a call of an active shooter at the Abundant Life Christian School also found the shooter dead at the scene, Barnes said. Several people were rushed to hospitals, he added. Barnes did not provide the ages and genders of the injured victims, but he said their injuries ranged from minor to life-threatening.
“Today is a sad, sad day, not only for Madison, but for our entire country,” Barnes said.The suspected shooter was a student at the school, Barnes said.
Reports of an active shooting came in shortly before 11 a.m. local time, Barnes said. The school was evacuated and officers swept through the school. Barnes said no officers fired their weapons and that there was no further threat to the public.Police at one point said the fatalities included four victims plus the shooter, but later they lowered the number of fatalities.
Parents raced to a nearby clinic serving as a reunification point for families. Ambulances left the area of the school periodically in the minutes after the shooting. Dane County sheriff’s deputies were among first resonders, the sheriff’s office said. A massive police presence soon enveloped the scene.
School posts notice: ‘Prayers Requested!’
The school posted a brief notice on its Facebook page: “Prayers Requested! Today, we had an active shooter incident at ALCS. We are in the midst of following up. We will share information as we are able. Please pray for our Challenger Family.”
Nearby La Follette High School and Sennett Middle School were on secure hold because of the shooting, Madison Metropolitan School District officials said.Gov. Tony Evers said he was closely monitoring the events at the school. “We are praying for the kids, educators, and entire Abundant Life school community as we await more information,” Evers said, adding that he was “grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond.”Sen. Ron Johnson reacted to the shooting on X: “My sincere condolences and prayers for all the victims of the tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School. I will continue to closely monitor the situation.”
School affiliated with broader Madison Christian community
Abundant Life Christian School was founded in 1978, according to the school’s website, and the main building is located next-door to City Church Madison, a Christian non-denominational church.
The school “was specifically organized to offer students academic excellence in a Christ-focused context,” its website says.
