Wisconsin Christian School Shooting: Teen Girl Kills Two, Injures Six in Tragic Attack
Wisconsin Christian School Shooting Leaves Two Dead, Several Injured
A tragic shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, left a teacher and a teenage student dead, and six others injured on Monday. Authorities say the attacker, reportedly a 17-year-old female student, opened fire before being found dead at the scene.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed the shooting took place at Abundant Life Christian School, where the suspect had attended classes earlier that day. While the police have not identified the attacker or disclosed a motive, media reports suggest this event was unusual due to the attacker’s gender, as female school shooters remain exceptionally rare.
Timeline of the Attack
At approximately 11:00 AM local time, police received a 911 call reporting an active shooter on campus. Officers, who happened to be training just three miles away, responded rapidly. When they arrived, they discovered the suspect already deceased, alongside a handgun.
The shooting was confined to a single area of the school—though it remains unclear whether it occurred in a classroom or hallway. Emergency personnel, including 15 ambulances and federal law enforcement agencies such as the FBI, rushed to the scene.
Students Acted with Courage
Barbara Wiers, the school’s director of relations, described how students followed safety protocols they had practiced earlier this year. “When they heard ‘lockdown, lockdown,’ they knew this wasn’t a drill,” Wiers explained, commending students for their bravery in a frightening situation.
The school, which serves around 400 students from kindergarten through high school, is secured by automatic door locks and a monitored entry system. Despite these precautions, the devastating incident unfolded quickly.
The Toll on Victims
Two students remain in critical condition, battling life-threatening injuries in the hospital. Four others sustained non-life-threatening wounds, with two already released. Officials have not yet released the identities of the victims or the attacker.
Chief Barnes emphasized the long-term impact on everyone at the school: “Every child, every person in that building is a victim. This will stay with them forever.”
Prayers and Calls for Action
The tragedy prompted an outpouring of support. Abundant Life Christian School shared a post on Facebook asking for prayers, receiving hundreds of supportive comments from across the country.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers ordered flags to be flown at half-mast and expressed his condolences while closely monitoring the situation. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden called the shooting “shocking and unconscionable,” urging Congress to take immediate steps to prevent further gun violence. “Students across our country should be learning to read and write—not learning how to duck and cover,” Biden said.
A Nation Plagued by School Shootings
Gun violence in American schools remains a devastating reality. According to the K-12 Violence Project, there have been over 300 shooting incidents this year alone, where a gun was brandished, fired, or caused damage to school property. EducationWeek reports that 38 school shootings in 2024 have resulted in deaths or injuries, with 16 fatalities before Monday’s tragedy.
While school shootings by female attackers are exceedingly rare, this event recalls other isolated incidents. In 1979, a female shooter opened fire on a school, and more recently, a 28-year-old trans man killed six people in Nashville, Tennessee, in 2023.
An Ongoing Investigation
Police are working to uncover the attacker’s motive and have appealed for witnesses to share any details. Chief Barnes reassured the community that investigators would proceed sensitively: “We’re not going to rush or interrogate students. We’ll give them space to share what they saw when they’re ready.”
As the investigation continues, the Madison community grieves, grappling with yet another senseless act of violence that has shaken a school, a city, and the nation.
