Police say 15-year-old lady is behind Wisconsin faculty taking pictures

US authorities say the particular person they consider carried out the Wisconsin faculty taking pictures was a 15-year-old scholar.

Wisconsin police confirmed her id as Natalie Rupnow, a 15-year-old scholar referred to as Samantha.

The newest US faculty gun assault to rock the USA additionally left a trainer and one other teenager useless, in addition to the 15-year-old.

She was a scholar at Ample Life Christian College in Madison, the place the most recent armed assault came about.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated it was a second grader who first known as to report the taking pictures to authorities simply earlier than 11 a.m.

He added: “I am feeling slightly dismayed now, so near Christmas,” Mr Barnes stated.

“Each little one, each particular person on this constructing is a sufferer and shall be a sufferer eternally. We have to perceive and attempt to piece collectively what precisely occurred.

Police stated the one that opened hearth was useless, apparently by suicide, when officers arrived.

Lisa Adams, a spokesperson for SSM Well being, additionally confirmed that two sufferers injured in Monday’s assault have already left the hospital, including that two others stay steady at a close-by hospital.

Two college students remained in important situation at one other hospital, in response to the Madison police chief.

Ample Life is a nondenominational, Ok-12 Christian faculty with roughly 390 college students in Madison, the state capital.

After the taking pictures, the scholars have been pushed subsequent to the city’s church the place buses took them elsewhere to reunite with their households.

9 Madison faculties have been closed for just a few hours as a precaution.

My full assertion on the taking pictures at Ample Life Christian College in the present day in Madison.

I’m ordering that flags throughout the state be instantly lowered to half-staff as we honor these whose lives have been mindless on this tragedy. pic.twitter.com/HYIjVYcqaF

– Governor Tony Evers (@GovEvers) December 16, 2024

“Despite the fact that it’s troublesome in the present day, it’s nonetheless somebody’s little one who’s gone,” the police chief stated.

The motive for the taking pictures was not instantly recognized, he added.

“I don’t know why, and I really feel like if we knew, we may cease these items from occurring,” Mr. Barnes stated.

Somebody from the varsity known as police to report an energetic shooter shortly earlier than 11 a.m.

Emergency providers personnel who have been coaching simply three miles away went to the varsity for an actual emergency, Mr Barnes stated.

Investigators consider the weapon used was a 9mm pistol, a regulation enforcement official instructed The Related Press.

“I do not know if the varsity had metallic detectors and faculties should not have them both. It’s a secure area,” Mr Barnes stated.

The police blocked the roads across the faculty. Federal brokers have been on scene to help native regulation enforcement.

Ample Life requested for prayers in a quick Fb publish.

Bethany Highman, the mom of 1 scholar, went to the varsity and realized by way of FaceTime that her daughter was secure.

“As quickly as that occurs, your world stops for a minute. Nothing else issues,” Ms. Highman stated. “There isn’t any one round you. You rush out the door and attempt to do all the things you may as a mum or dad to be together with your kids.

In a press release, the White Home stated President Joe Biden had been briefed on the taking pictures and officers have been in touch with native authorities to supply assist.

“As a father, grandfather and governor, it’s unthinkable that any little one or educator may get up and go to high school one morning and by no means come dwelling,” stated Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers.

“This could by no means occur, and I’ll by no means settle for this as a forgone actuality and by no means cease working to alter it.” »

It’s the newest in dozens of college shootings in the USA in recent times, together with notably lethal ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida and Uvalde, Texas.

The shootings have sparked fervent debates over gun management and strained the nerves of oldsters whose kids develop up accustomed to energetic train of their school rooms.

However faculty shootings have achieved little to alter the nation’s gun legal guidelines.

Weapons have been the main reason for demise amongst kids in 2020 and 2021, in response to KFF, a nonprofit that research well being points.

Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway stated the nation must do extra to forestall gun violence.

“I hoped at the present time would by no means come to Madison,” she stated.