Two Killed as Female Student Opens Fire at Wisconsin School
A tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday, Dec. 16, left two people dead—a teacher and a teenage student. The shooter, identified as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, opened fire with a handgun during study hall, wounding six others and sending the school into lockdown just a week before Christmas break.
The incident unfolded around 11 a.m. when Rupnow began her rampage, terrifying students and staff. A second grader made the 911 call that alerted police to the shooting. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated that two of the injured victims, both students, were in critical condition. Four others—a teacher and three students—sustained less serious injuries, with two released from the hospital by Monday evening.
“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever,” Chief Barnes said. “We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened.”
Barbara Wiers, the director of elementary and school relations at the school, commended the students for their response to the crisis. She explained that the school had conducted safety drills earlier in the year, and when they heard the call for a lockdown, they immediately knew it was real.
Police found Rupnow with a self-inflicted gunshot wound when they arrived on the scene. She died en route to the hospital. Authorities declined to disclose further details about Rupnow out of respect for her family, who is cooperating with the investigation.
Abundant Life Christian School, a nondenominational institution serving prekindergarten through high school, has about 420 students. The school does not use metal detectors but relies on other security measures, such as surveillance cameras.
Following the shooting, students and families were reunited at a nearby health clinic. The motive for the attack remains unclear, and it is unknown if Rupnow targeted her victims specifically.
“I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening,” Barnes told reporters.
Police are working with Rupnow’s family and searching her home for any clues about what led to the tragedy. “He lost someone as well,” Barnes said of Rupnow’s father. “We’re not going to rush the information. We’ll take our time and make sure we do our due diligence.”
The first 911 call reporting the active shooter came in shortly before 11 a.m. First responders, who had been training just three miles away, arrived within three minutes and immediately entered the building.
Investigators believe Rupnow used a 9mm handgun in the attack. A law enforcement official, speaking anonymously, confirmed the weapon type but declined to provide additional details due to the ongoing investigation.
The tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School has left the Madison community reeling as they grapple with the devastating loss of life and injuries. Local authorities continue to investigate, seeking answers to prevent similar incidents in the future.