(The Central Square) – A 15-year-old student suspected of shooting and killing a teacher and another student, as well as injuring six other students and a teacher before killing herself at Madison’s Abundant Life Christian School, was identified late Monday night.
Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow was identified as the shooter. She died on her way to the hospital.
At 10:57 a.m., a second-grade student contacted 911 to report the gunshot.
“I’m going to let that soak in for a minute,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated while alerting the public of the news.
Police came to the school at 11:01 a.m. and entered right away. At 11:05 a.m., they discovered the shooter with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
Barnes stated that the Dane County Medical Examiner will provide the official cause of death at a later time.
“Today is a sad, sad day,” Barnes stated. “Not only for Madison but our entire country.”
Six additional pupils and a teacher were hurt and transported to the hospital. Four of them, a teacher and three kids, sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Two pupils are still in the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Police said they were aware of writings attributed to the shooter that had been put online but were unable to corroborate their validity.
Barnes added that police searched the shooter’s home and spoke with his family. Police are still investigating the origins of the gun, and Barnes said the father was being questioned at a police facility Monday night.
Barnes stated that the Madison Police Department trains for school shootings periodically, with the most recent training taking place two weeks ago.
The police did not fire their weapons.
