What we know so far about Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Madison, Wisconsin
Editor’s Note: Madison police are expected to provide another update on the Abundant Life Christian School shooting around 2:30 p.m. CT. It will play in the video above once it begins. At least three people were killed and several others were injured when a shooter opened fire on Monday at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, law enforcement said. The shooting was reported in the morning hours at Abundant Life Christian School, a kindergarten through 12th grade school with approximately 200 families. “Today is a sad, sad, day,” Madison Police Chief Barnes said. “Not just for Madison, but for our entire country.” Here’s what we know about the shooting so far, including details released by police, background on the school and reaction from officials: What happened? A student at the school killed two victims and injured six others in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died. Officers found multiple gunshot wound victims after responding to an active shooter call at the school at 10:57 a.m., including an unidentified juvenile who Barnes said could be the shooter. No officers fired their weapons during the incident. Police said five people were killed, but later updated the figure to reflect three people died, including the shooter. At least seven people were transported to area hospitals for treatment after officers administered “lifesaving efforts” to anyone they found wounded, Barnes said. He did not provide information on how many were students or staff. A police incident website said that the injuries “range from minor to life-threatening.” Who is the shooter? Among those killed was a juvenile, who police “believe was responsible” for the shooting, the police chief said. The juvenile, who was a student at the school, was found deceased in the building. Motive unknown Barnes didn’t immediately provide additional details about the suspected shooter, including a possible motive. Abundant Life Christian School background Abundant Life Christian School is a faith-based school consisting of approximately 200 families from dozens of churches on Madison’s East Side. ALCS, which consists of students in kindergarten through 12th grade, was founded in 1978 to “offer students academic excellence in a Christ-focused context,” according to its website. The school posted about the shooting in a Facebook post, asking for prayers. “Prayers Requested! Today, we had an active shooter incident at ALCS,” the post read. “We are in the midst of following up. We will share information as we are able. Please pray for our Challenger Family.” The school’s campus spans 28 acres that serves as one of three Impact Christian Schools campuses. Its website also said that it has approximately 335 students. Likely weapon used Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation. Massive law enforcement response Several local law enforcement agencies, including the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Winona Police Department, responded to the scene. Barnes, Madison’s police chief, said he received calls from federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as the FBI. What officials have said In a social media post, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said, “I am closely monitoring the incident at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. We are praying for the kids, educators, and entire Abundant Life school community as we await more information and are grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond.” U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, wrote, “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.” President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said. Senior White House officials were “in touch with local counterparts in Madison to provide support as needed.” U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who represents the area, said on social media that his office was aware of reports of a shooting. “We are in touch with local law enforcement, and will continue to monitor the situation and offer any assistance we can provide to our first responders,” he said on social media. This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
Editor’s Note: Madison police are expected to provide another update on the Abundant Life Christian School shooting around 2:30 p.m. CT. It will play in the video above once it begins.
At least three people were killed and several others were injured when a shooter opened fire on Monday at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, law enforcement said.
The shooting was reported in the morning hours at Abundant Life Christian School, a kindergarten through 12th grade school with approximately 200 families.
“Today is a sad, sad, day,” Madison Police Chief Barnes said. “Not just for Madison, but for our entire country.”
Here’s what we know about the shooting so far, including details released by police, background on the school and reaction from officials:
What happened?
A student at the school killed two victims and injured six others in the final week before Christmas break. The shooter also died.
Officers found multiple gunshot wound victims after responding to an active shooter call at the school at 10:57 a.m., including an unidentified juvenile who Barnes said could be the shooter. No officers fired their weapons during the incident.
Police said five people were killed, but later updated the figure to reflect three people died, including the shooter.
At least seven people were transported to area hospitals for treatment after officers administered “lifesaving efforts” to anyone they found wounded, Barnes said. He did not provide information on how many were students or staff. A police incident website said that the injuries “range from minor to life-threatening.”
Who is the shooter?
Among those killed was a juvenile, who police “believe was responsible” for the shooting, the police chief said. The juvenile, who was a student at the school, was found deceased in the building.
Motive unknown
Barnes didn’t immediately provide additional details about the suspected shooter, including a possible motive.
Abundant Life Christian School background
Abundant Life Christian School is a faith-based school consisting of approximately 200 families from dozens of churches on Madison’s East Side. ALCS, which consists of students in kindergarten through 12th grade, was founded in 1978 to “offer students academic excellence in a Christ-focused context,” according to its website.
The school posted about the shooting in a Facebook post, asking for prayers.
“Prayers Requested! Today, we had an active shooter incident at ALCS,” the post read. “We are in the midst of following up. We will share information as we are able. Please pray for our Challenger Family.”
The school’s campus spans 28 acres that serves as one of three Impact Christian Schools campuses. Its website also said that it has approximately 335 students.
Likely weapon used
Investigators believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.
Massive law enforcement response
Several local law enforcement agencies, including the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, the Wisconsin State Patrol and the Winona Police Department, responded to the scene. Barnes, Madison’s police chief, said he received calls from federal agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms as well as the FBI.
What officials have said
In a social media post, Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said, “I am closely monitoring the incident at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. We are praying for the kids, educators, and entire Abundant Life school community as we await more information and are grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond.”
U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, wrote, “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.”
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, White House Senior Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said. Senior White House officials were “in touch with local counterparts in Madison to provide support as needed.”
U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, who represents the area, said on social media that his office was aware of reports of a shooting.
“We are in touch with local law enforcement, and will continue to monitor the situation and offer any assistance we can provide to our first responders,” he said on social media.
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
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