A 15-year-old girl killed a teacher and teen student in a shooting on Monday at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, and wounded six others, according to authorities.
Natalie Rupnow was identified as the shooter who opened fire inside a study hall inside Abundant Life Christian School, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. Responding officers found Rupnow with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She died on the way to a hospital.
During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Barnes said “identifying a motive is our top priority.” He said the motive appears to be a combination of factors, but he did not elaborate any further.
Police were speaking with Rupnow’s father and other family members, who were cooperating, and searching Rupnow’s home, Barnes said. He declined to offer additional details about the shooter, partly out of respect for the family.
“He lost someone as well,” Barnes said of Rupnow’s father. “And so we’re not going to rush the information. We’ll take our time and make sure we do our due diligence.”
Rupnow used a handgun in the shooting, according to Barnes.
“I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening,” he told reporters.
The teacher and student that were killed in the shooting have not yet been identified.
Barnes said that of the six wounded in the shooting, two were students and remain in critical condition. A teacher and three students were also hospitalized with less serious injuries, and two of them were later released.
Barnes said he did not believe that the school, which serves 200 students, according to the school’s website, had a resource officer. It was also revealed that the school did not have metal detectors, but did have cameras and other security protocols.
Barnes also clarified that the initial 911 call reporting the shooting was made by a second grade teacher at the school. On Monday, he mistakenly said the call had come from a second grade student.
