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Two people were killed and six others were injured in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, police said during a media briefing on Monday afternoon. The suspect is also dead. A teacher and a teenage student were killed in the shooting. Two students are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Four other students have non-life-threatening injuries.The suspected shooter was a 17-year-old female student at the school, according to reports. Police said the shooter’s motive is not known.The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. CT Monday at Abundant Life Christian School, which has approximately 390 students from grades K-12, police said. It happened during the final week before the school's Christmas break.This is an ongoing investigation.What we know so far:Two people, a teacher and a teenage student, were killed in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.The suspected shooter, a 17-year-old girl who attended the school, died by suicide and was dead when officers arrived.Six other people were injured; two students are in critical condition, and four students suffered non-life-threatening injuries.Here's the latest (all times Eastern): 5:55 p.m.Well into Monday afternoon, parents were directed to a medical clinic building about a mile from the school to pick up their children.Some left holding their young children against their chests, others squeezing kids’ hands or shoulders as they walked side by side.One family draped an adult-size coat around a young girl’s shoulder as they left the building to a parking lot still teeming with police and law enforcement vehicles.5:15 p.m.President Joe Biden called the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School “shocking and unconscionable” in a statement Monday.“We need Congress to act. Now," Biden said.“From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, to so many other shootings that don’t receive attention — it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence. We cannot continue to accept it as normal,” he said. “Every child deserves to feel safe in their classroom. Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover.”Related video below: Helping kids understand, cope with school shooting traumaBiden said that he and his wife, Jill, are praying for the victims. He thanked first responders who arrived quickly and said the FBI is supporting local law enforcement efforts. His team has also reached out to local officials to offer further support, at his direction.He said that while his administration has taken aggressive action to combat the gun violence epidemic, more is needed:"Congress must pass commonsense gun safety laws: Universal background checks. A national red flag law. A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines."5:10 p.m.Police said the shooter apparently was dead by suicide when officers arrived, according to the Associated Press.5 p.m.The shooter was a 17-year-old female student, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.School shootings by teenage females have been extremely rare in U.S. history, according to David Riedman, founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database. 4:50 p.mMadison Police Chief Shon Barnes identified the weapon police found as a handgun.He said the gunfire was confined to one space. He didn’t specify whether it was a classroom.Someone from the school called 911 to report an active shooter, Barnes said.He said the police training center is three miles from the school, and staff responded from there.“What began as a training day became an actual day,” he said.4:30 p.m.Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes noted “At this time, yes,” the shooter’s family is cooperating.“I’m feeling a little dismayed now, so close to Christmas,” he said. “Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. ... We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened.”Barnes said detectives were, “working hard to find as many answers as we can.”4:15 p.m.Investigators do not immediately know a motive for the shooting, police said."I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening," Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.Barnes said detectives were, "working hard to find as many answers as we can."3:50 p.m.A teenager opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, killing two people and injuring six others, police said during a media briefing on Monday afternoon. The suspect is also dead.A teacher and a teenage student were killed in the shooting. Two students are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Four other students have non-life-threatening injuries.The suspected shooter was a student at the school. Police said the shooter’s motive is not known.A handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.2:41 p.m.In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, and officials were in touch with local authorities to provide support.2:16 p.m.Police have clarified that a total of three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including the suspected shooter.Police previously said five people had died, but they have since lowered the number to three total deaths. 2:03 p.m."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," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.1:53 p.m.Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have responded to the scene to assist local law enforcement. 1:29 p.m.At least five people are dead, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, Barnes said.Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment.The injuries range from minor to life-threatening, police said.The suspect was found dead inside the building. Police officers who responded did not fire their weapons.1:20 p.m.Multiple people who were injured have been transported to hospitals, including students and a staff member, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.The suspect has been stopped by law enforcement, Barnes said. Police are still conducting secondary searches of the building and vehicles.1:09 p.m.Abundant Life Christian School was founded in 1978, according to its website. The school has a 28-acre campus, and its website boasts "smaller class sizes" that cater to students from about 200 families in the Dane County area.The school planned to close for Christmas Vacation after this week.CNN and The Associated Press contributed to this report
MADISON, Wis. —
Two people were killed and six others were injured in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, police said during a media briefing on Monday afternoon. The suspect is also dead.
A teacher and a teenage student were killed in the shooting. Two students are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Four other students have non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspected shooter was a 17-year-old female student at the school, according to reports. Police said the shooter’s motive is not known.
The shooting occurred shortly before 11 a.m. CT Monday at Abundant Life Christian School, which has approximately 390 students from grades K-12, police said. It happened during the final week before the school's Christmas break.
This is an ongoing investigation.
What we know so far:
- Two people, a teacher and a teenage student, were killed in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
- The suspected shooter, a 17-year-old girl who attended the school, died by suicide and was dead when officers arrived.
- Six other people were injured; two students are in critical condition, and four students suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Here's the latest (all times Eastern):
5:55 p.m.
Well into Monday afternoon, parents were directed to a medical clinic building about a mile from the school to pick up their children.
Some left holding their young children against their chests, others squeezing kids’ hands or shoulders as they walked side by side.
One family draped an adult-size coat around a young girl’s shoulder as they left the building to a parking lot still teeming with police and law enforcement vehicles.
5:15 p.m.
President Joe Biden called the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School “shocking and unconscionable” in a statement Monday.
“We need Congress to act. Now," Biden said.
“From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, to so many other shootings that don’t receive attention — it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence. We cannot continue to accept it as normal,” he said. “Every child deserves to feel safe in their classroom. Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover.”
Related video below: Helping kids understand, cope with school shooting trauma
Biden said that he and his wife, Jill, are praying for the victims. He thanked first responders who arrived quickly and said the FBI is supporting local law enforcement efforts. His team has also reached out to local officials to offer further support, at his direction.
He said that while his administration has taken aggressive action to combat the gun violence epidemic, more is needed:
"Congress must pass commonsense gun safety laws: Universal background checks. A national red flag law. A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines."
5:10 p.m.
Police said the shooter apparently was dead by suicide when officers arrived, according to the Associated Press.
5 p.m.
The shooter was a 17-year-old female student, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.
The official was not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation and spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
School shootings by teenage females have been extremely rare in U.S. history, according to David Riedman, founder of the K-12 School Shooting Database.
4:50 p.m
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes identified the weapon police found as a handgun.
He said the gunfire was confined to one space. He didn’t specify whether it was a classroom.
Someone from the school called 911 to report an active shooter, Barnes said.
He said the police training center is three miles from the school, and staff responded from there.
“What began as a training day became an actual day,” he said.
4:30 p.m.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes noted “At this time, yes,” the shooter’s family is cooperating.
“I’m feeling a little dismayed now, so close to Christmas,” he said. “Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. ... We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened.”
Barnes said detectives were, “working hard to find as many answers as we can.”
4:15 p.m.
Investigators do not immediately know a motive for the shooting, police said.
"I don’t know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening," Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
Barnes said detectives were, "working hard to find as many answers as we can."
3:50 p.m.
A teenager opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, killing two people and injuring six others, police said during a media briefing on Monday afternoon. The suspect is also dead.
A teacher and a teenage student were killed in the shooting. Two students are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Four other students have non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspected shooter was a student at the school. Police said the shooter’s motive is not known.
A handgun was recovered from the scene, police said.
2:41 p.m.
In a statement, the White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, and officials were in touch with local authorities to provide support.
2:16 p.m.
Police have clarified that a total of three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including the suspected shooter.
Police previously said five people had died, but they have since lowered the number to three total deaths.
2:03 p.m.
"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," Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.
1:53 p.m.
Agents from the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have responded to the scene to assist local law enforcement.
1:29 p.m.
At least five people are dead, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.
The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, Barnes said.
Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment.
The injuries range from minor to life-threatening, police said.
The suspect was found dead inside the building. Police officers who responded did not fire their weapons.
1:20 p.m.
Multiple people who were injured have been transported to hospitals, including students and a staff member, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
The suspect has been stopped by law enforcement, Barnes said. Police are still conducting secondary searches of the building and vehicles.
1:09 p.m.
Abundant Life Christian School was founded in 1978, according to its website. The school has a 28-acre campus, and its website boasts "smaller class sizes" that cater to students from about 200 families in the Dane County area.
The school planned to close for Christmas Vacation after this week.
CNN and The Associated Press contributed to this report
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