MADISON, Wis. — According to Madison Police, the tragic shooting at a private Christian school in Wisconsin, which resulted in three fatalities including the shooter, and left six others injured, was driven by a “combination of factors.”

Police Chief Shon Barnes refrained from sharing specific details due to the ongoing inquiry but mentioned that detectives are questioning the suspect’s peers “to determine if bullying may have contributed to these factors.”

Authorities have identified 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow as the shooter who opened fire Monday morning inside a classroom at Abundant Life Christian School, which accommodates approximately 400 students from kindergarten through 12th grade. Rupnow succumbed to injuries believed to be from a self-inflicted gunshot while being transported to a local hospital.

As of Tuesday afternoon, two students were reported to be in critical condition while three other students and one teacher sustained non-life-threatening injuries; two victims were discharged from local hospitals.

Initially, police stated that a second-grader had made the first 911 call to report the shooting; however, Chief Barnes later clarified during a press briefing that it was actually a second-grade teacher who made the emergency call.

Establishing the shooter’s motive is the “top priority” for law enforcement, Barnes indicated. He encouraged anyone familiar with Rupnow, particularly those who know “what she may have been experiencing or feeling” prior to the incident, to come forward. Barnes also stated that they are attempting to confirm the authenticity of writings purportedly by the suspect that have surfaced online.

“We’re working on verifying the document that has been referred to online as a manifesto,” he stated, urging the public to refrain from circulating it until it is validated by investigators.

Here’s what we know so far about the shooting and the investigation:

Fifteen-Year-Old Girl Named Suspect in School Shooting

The suspect has been identified as Natalie Rupnow, a student at Abundant Life Christian School who was known to some as Samantha.

Investigators have conducted a search of Rupnow’s home and have spoken with her family, but the motive behind the shooting has still not been determined. It remains unknown how she acquired the handgun discovered at the crime scene.

Although the Madison Police Department suggested that she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to confirm the official cause of death.

Authorities Investigate Possible Parental Negligence

In an interview with CNN, Barnes stated that authorities are examining how the suspect acquired the handgun used in the shooting and whether her parents may have been “negligent.”

When asked whether the parents owned the handgun found at the school, Barnes replied, “I cannot say for sure at this moment.”

“We also want to investigate if the parents may have shown negligence. This is a question we will need to resolve in conjunction with our district attorney’s office,” Barnes told CNN on Tuesday. “However, at this stage, it does not seem to be the case.”

During a press conference on Monday, Barnes mentioned that the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is assisting in tracing the firearm. Additionally, local police are coordinating with the FBI, he reported.

Community Memorial Established Outside Abundant Life Christian School

In response to the shooting, local residents have created a makeshift memorial outside Abundant Life Christian School, where they have placed candles and flowers to honor the victims and their families.

Megan Mojica and Kamila Reynolds, both school bus drivers in the Madison area, visited the memorial site on Tuesday morning, laying down candles and praying with a local chaplain.

Reynolds expressed her shock about the shooting, saying, “(Madison) is a good town,” and noted how surprising it is for such a tragedy to occur.

Mojica shared her experience with gun violence from a prior incident at Waukesha South High in 2019, where a police officer shot an 18-year-old student wielding a pellet gun, leaving her son with a traumatic experience: “My son was the child that had the gun in his face,” she recounted. “I know firsthand what it’s like to endure such an event.”

“Lean on your family and friends, because in time, you’ll be able to heal,” she advised those impacted by Monday’s events.

– Laura Schulte, Sophie Carson and Madeline Heim, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Mayor voices anger towards media during press conference

The mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, expressed frustration with journalists at a Tuesday news conference following a tragic school shooting that occurred just a day prior.

“It is absolutely inappropriate for you to inquire about who was affected in this incident,” Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway responded sharply to reporters, addressing repeated questions about the victims and inquiries on how the school addresses bullying.

She continued, “Please, show some basic human decency and respect for the families who lost loved ones, those who were injured, and the children affected.”

One journalist pressed Rhodes-Conway for further details regarding the victims’ personalities and whether they played sports. The mayor chose not to respond.

“Please show some respect. Allow them the space to grieve, recover, and heal. Don’t capitalize on their suffering. We will provide updates when appropriate,” she concluded.

– Christopher Cann and Alison Dirr

Governor orders flags to be flown at half-staff until Sunday

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers announced on X that he has mandated flags be lowered to half-staff in response to the devastating school shooting in Madison.

“Flags will stay at half-staff until Sunday evening in memory of those whose lives were lost or forever affected yesterday. We are praying for the complete recovery of the injured and standing with the Abundant Life Christian School community,” he stated.

Hospital reports two patients stable

The hospital receiving victims from the Madison school shooting reported that two individuals have been discharged, while two others are in stable condition.

SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Madison treated four patients from Abundant Life Christian School, according to spokesperson Lisa Adams in an email to YSL News.

The hospital collaborated with authorities to help reunite families, stating that mental health professionals were available on-site to assist both children and their families. The hospital also brought in therapy dogs and its pastoral care team.

“We understand the long-lasting impact of yesterday’s tragic event,” the statement read. “SSM Health is devoted to supporting our community’s physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.”

Other victims were taken to the University of Wisconsin hospitals, as mentioned by Madison Fire Chief Chris Carbon. YSL News has requested additional updates on their conditions.

Wisconsin DOJ vigilant for potential copycat incidents amid rise in reports

The Wisconsin Department of Justice is closely monitoring for potential copycat crimes following an increase in reports received by a tip line after the Monday shooting at Abundant Life Christian School.

Trish Kilpin, director of the Wisconsin Office of School Safety at the DOJ, stated during a media briefing with Madison police that the “Speak Up, Speak Out” tip line has received numerous calls since the tragic event.

“Today, I have reached out to schools statewide and the Department of Public Instruction about how to handle these reports,” she noted, addressing threats that may be general or directed at specific individuals.

Established in 2020, the “Speak Up, Speak Out” tip line has processed over 350 tips related to potential school attacks, according to Kilpin.

– Laura Schulte, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Female school shooters are uncommon, research indicates

Research shows that female school shooters are quite rare. Data indicates that only a small percentage of mass shootings are committed by women.

According to Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit advocating for stricter gun control, out of 544 school shooting incidents over an 11-year stretch, females accounted for less than 5% of the perpetrators. The organization also pointed out that data on the shooter’s gender is sometimes unavailable, leading to incomplete analysis.

Justin Heinze, an associate professor specializing in health behavior and equity studies at the University of Michigan, emphasized that while school shootings are extremely distressing, they are comparatively infrequent in relation to other firearm fatalities, and thus care should be taken when analyzing these events.

“We are discussing an extreme outlier,” he said regarding female school shooters. “However, I cannot provide an accurate profile, characteristics, or behavioral patterns that consistently lead to such events.”

– John Diedrich, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Parents describe their fear after learning of the school shooting

Michelet Jean-Charles felt devastated when his supervisor informed him of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, where his three kids attend. He hurried to the school and was instructed to a nearby clinic transformed into a meeting point for families. After a nerve-wracking two hours, he finally learned his children were unharmed.

“I could barely walk; I was shaking,” he shared. “I was in tears. I’ve cried before, but this was different. I never imagined my kids wouldn’t be safe.”

Bethany Highman, whose daughter is a student at the private Christian school, managed to video call her daughter shortly after the news broke, ensuring her well-being. Though unsure of what would come next, she expressed her commitment to support her daughter through community efforts and prayer.

“Your entire world pauses for a moment. Nothing else holds significance,” she conveyed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of the YSL News Network. “We are just waiting and praying.”

What is Abundant Life Christian School?

Established in 1978, Abundant Life Christian School caters to around 400 students, as indicated on its website.

The school “was specifically created to provide academic excellence within a Christian-centered environment,” according to its website. About 200 families from 56 different churches in the Dane County, Wisconsin area make up the student body.

The main facility is situated next to City Church Madison, a non-denominational Christian church.

Does the school have security measures in place?

Barbara Wiers, the director of elementary and school relations at Abundant Life Christian School, elaborated on the school’s security measures during a news briefing on Monday.

She reported that security cameras are monitored, entry doors are kept locked, and all students are “visually checked” by staff upon their arrival. However, the school does not employ a resource officer or use metal detectors.

Biden urges Congress to take action following Madison school shooting

In a statement on Monday, President Joe Biden described the shooting as “shocking and unimaginable,” urging lawmakers to enact changes aimed at preventing future incidents.

“From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, and many other shootings that go unnoticed – it should not be acceptable that we cannot safeguard our children from this epidemic of gun violence,” Biden asserted. “We must not normalize this.”

He called for Congress to implement universal background checks, a national red-flag law, and to prohibit assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

(This article was revised to incorporate new information and rectify inaccuracies from the police in an earlier version.)