MADISON, Wisconsin. A 15-year-old girl opened fire at a private school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday, killing a fellow student and a teacher, and injuring six others before turning the gun on herself, authorities reported.
The devastating incident occurred at Abundant Life Christian School, a private institution serving 400 students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Police identified the shooter as Natalie Rupnow, who also went by the name Samantha.
According to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, the shooting began approximately three hours into the school day. Six other victims sustained gunshot wounds, including two students who remain in critical condition. Three other students and one teacher were injured but are expected to recover.
“Today is a sad, sad day, not only for Madison but for our entire country, where yet another police chief is doing a press conference to speak about violence in our community,” Chief Barnes stated during an emotional press conference. “Every child, every person in that building, is a victim, and will be a victim forever. These types of trauma don’t just go away.”
The tragedy began when the shooter arrived at school as usual, before drawing a handgun and opening fire. Barnes noted the extraordinary bravery of a second-grade student, likely 7 or 8 years old, who made the 911 call to report the shooting.
“Let that soak in for a minute,” Barnes said, underlining the profound trauma for everyone involved.
School on Lockdown
Students immediately followed emergency protocols, locking themselves in classrooms. Barbara Wiers, the school’s director of elementary and school relations, commended their composure during the crisis.
“They were clearly scared … when they heard ‘lockdown, lockdown’ and nothing else, they knew it was real,” Wiers explained. Students were later transported off-campus, where they reunited with their families.
Gun Violence Epidemic in the U.S.
The Wisconsin tragedy marks one of 322 school shootings in the U.S. this year alone, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database—the second-highest total recorded since 1966, surpassed only by 2023’s record of 349 incidents.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway lamented the prevalence of gun violence, stating, “We need to do better in our country and our community to prevent gun violence.”
President Joe Biden also renewed calls for Congress to pass stricter gun control legislation, echoing his previous frustrations with the lack of action.
“It is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence,” Biden said in a statement. “We cannot continue to accept it as normal.”
Community in Mourning
Investigators have yet to determine the shooter’s motive, though her family is cooperating with authorities. School shootings involving female perpetrators remain extremely rare, with studies indicating that women account for only 3% of mass shootings in the U.S.
The Abundant Life community now joins the long list of schools devastated by gun violence. This tragedy occurred just two days after the 12th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary massacre in Newtown, Connecticut—a grim reminder of the ongoing crisis.
As the nation mourns yet another loss, calls for stronger legislation and greater school safety measures continue to intensify. Yet, for the families and students affected by Monday’s events, the road to healing will be long and difficult.
If you or someone you know is struggling with trauma or mental health following this event, please reach out to local support services or helplines.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
