"Everyone was targeted" in Wisconsin school shooting, police say
Police said a "combination of factors" appear to have led a 15-year-old student to carry out a school shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, but declined to share more information.
The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School left three dead, including the perpetrator, who police have identified as student Natalie Rupnow. Rupnow, who also went by Samantha, appears to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. The other two dead are a teacher and a teenage student, whom police have not identified. Six people — one teacher and five students — were injured. Four remain hospitalized.
In a news conference on Tuesday afternoon, Madison Chief of Police Shon F. Barnes said that he would not be sharing more details about Rupnow's motive to avoid jeopardizing the investigation. He asked that anyone with information about Rupnow's state of mind before the shooting contact the Madison CrimeStoppers.
Barnes said that investigators are looking at Rupnow's social media presence, but did not share any specific information about the teen's behavior online. Investigators are also trying to determine if Rupnow was bullied and if that influenced her actions, Barnes said, but he did not say if anyone was specifically targeted.
"Everyone was targeted in this incident," Barnes said. "Everyone was put in equal danger."
Police are investigating how Rupnow obtained a gun, Barnes said on Monday, and Rupnow's family is cooperating with the investigation.
Barnes also addressed the circulation of a document allegedly connected to the shooting that has been circulating online. Barnes said that the document's authenticity cannot be verified, and said that detectives are working on the origin of that document and how it came to be shared online. He asked that the document not be further spread or shared, and said police would provide an update when possible.
Barnes also clarified an earlier statement about the shooting being reported to 911 by a second-grade student. He said the shooting was actually reported by a second-grade teacher.
Barnes and other local officials said that multiple swatting threats were called in against local schools, resulting in lockdowns. None of those threats resulted in violence.
A vigil honoring the victims of the shooting will be held at Madison's capitol building at 6 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said.