Deadly Madison school shooting under investigation

At least 3 dead, including suspect in Wisconsin Christian school shooting, police clarify

Updated: 2:54 PM EST Dec 16, 2024

FORCE WITH AN UPDATE ON BREAKING NEWS THAT WE’VE BEEN FOLLOWING THIS MORNING OUT OF MADISON. THREE PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A MASS SHOOTING AT A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. POLICE RESPONDED TO ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ON BUCKEYE, OFF STOUGHTON ROAD JUST BEFORE 11:00 THIS MORNING. THAT’S WHERE WE FIND 12 NEWS NICK BOHR, WHO JOINS US LIVE AT THIS HOUR? NICK, WE KNOW THAT THREE PEOPLE ARE DEAD, SIX OTHERS INJURED, AND THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER IS ONE OF THOSE THREE PEOPLE. RIGHT, JAN? WE’RE STILL AWAITING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON WHO THAT IS, OF COURSE. AND THE AGES OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE KILLED. WE KNOW THAT AMONG THE THREE DEAD, AS YOU SAID, INCLUDES THAT SHOOTER WHO POLICE SAID WENT TO THE SCHOOL. AND YOU CAN SEE THAT BEHIND ME IS THE MOST ACTIVE PART OF THE SCENE. THAT’S THE SCHOOL THERE, ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL. THIS IS K THROUGH 12. THAT PART OF THE SCHOOL IS WHERE THE YOUNGER KIDS ARE, I’M TOLD. AND THEN AS YOU GET CLOSER TO ME, HERE IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND THEN THE HIGH SCHOOL AGED CHILDREN ARE CLOSEST TO US HERE. YOU CAN SEE THERE’S STILL A HUGE POLICE PRESENCE ON THE SCENE FROM MADISON POLICE DANE COUNTY SHERIFFS, STATE PATROL, FEDERAL AGENTS, UW POLICE. I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, IT’S A VERY LARGE RESPONSE HERE. YOU CAN SEE IT IS STILL ACTIVE. AND WHAT YOU’RE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IS THE CHURCH THAT’S AFFILIATED WITH THE SCHOOL RIGHT NEXT DOOR. AND THIS, FROM WHAT WE’RE OBSERVING, APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THE PLACE WHERE THEY’RE EVACUATING CHILDREN AND STAFF TO THROUGHOUT THIS EVENT, WHICH STARTED NOW 2.5 HOURS AGO, ROUGHLY. AND THE BUSSES THAT WE SAW DOWN THAT WAY AS WELL ARE CITY BUSSES FROM MADISON. AND THEY WERE JUST MOMENTS AGO, SOME SMALL CHILDREN WERE BEING SHUTTLED FROM THE CHURCH INTO THOSE BUSSES, AND THEN THEY DROVE OFF. RIGHT AFTER THAT. SO CERTAINLY THE IMMEDIATE THREAT FROM POLICE, WHAT THEY’RE TELLING US HAS SUBSIDED, THAT THEY BELIEVE THAT THE ONLY PERSON INVOLVED WAS THAT SHOOTER. WE’RE STILL AWAITING AN AGE ON THAT PERSON. BUT AGAIN, BELIEVED TO BE A STUDENT. THEY, OF COURSE, OUT OF AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, SAY THEY ARE SWEEPING THE SCHOOL ONE MORE TIME WITH BOMB SNIFFING DOGS. RIGHT NOW, WE BELIEVE THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE PROBABLY LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW IN THAT AREA. SOME PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THAT PROCESS, AFTER THEY SWEPT THE SCHOOL TWICE, LOOKING TO SEE JUST IF ANYBODY ELSE MIGHT BE INVOLVED, ANY OTHER THREATS IN THE SCHOOL THEY DID NOT FIND ANY. WHEN POLICE SAY THAT THEY ENTERED INTO THE SCHOOL AFTER REPORTS OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER, THEY FOUND THE WHAT THEY BELIEVE TO BE THE SHOOTER, ALREADY DECEASED. POLICE HERE DID NOT FIRE ANY SHOTS, AND RIGHT NOW, THIS WHOLE AREA WHERE THE SCHOOL IS, IS COVERED WITH POLICE TAPE. AND IT’S BEING, OF COURSE, SECURED BY POLICE RIGHT NOW, MAKING SURE THAT IT REMAINS A SAFE SCENE. BUT YOU CAN SEE THERE’S STILL PLENTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS HERE ON THE SCENE TRYING TO KEEP THIS SECURED, AS WE, YOU KNOW, AWAIT ANOTHER BRIEFING FROM THE POLICE CHIEF HERE, SEAN BARNES, IN ABOUT AN HOUR. GERRON. YEAH, THAT NEXT POLICE BRIEFING NEWS CONFERENCE IS SCHEDULED FOR 230. NICK, I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU. YOU WERE KIND OF POINTING OUT WHERE THE CHURCH WAS IN RELATION TO THE SCHOOL BUILDING. I WAS CURIOUS WHEN THE POLICE CHIEF WAS GIVING HIS NEWS CONFERENCE JUST ABOUT HALF AN HOUR AGO. ON IF THERE IS STILL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES BEING REUNIFIED WITH THEIR PARENTS. HAVE YOU BEEN SEEING PARENTS GUARDIANS ARRIVE TO THE SCENE WHERE YOU ARE, AND MAYBE GO INTO THAT CHURCH WHERE THAT PROCESS IS HAPPENING? NO. I THINK WHAT’S HAPPENING, THE LOCATION WHERE THEY’RE BEING TAKEN TO IS A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD HERE. THERE’S A MEDICAL CLINIC, AND THAT’S WHERE THEY WERE ASKING PARENTS TO GO TO. THIS IS WHERE THE ACTUAL STUDENTS WERE. THEY WERE BOARDING BUSSES WITH POLICE ESCORTS, AND THEN THE BUSSES WERE BEING TAKEN DOWN TO THAT MEDICAL CLINIC. AND THAT’S WHERE THE PARENTS AND STUDENTS ARE BEING REUNITED. I DID TALK TO A NEIGHBOR HERE WHO SAID THAT THEY HEARD MULTIPLE SHOTS FIRED, DIDN’T SEE ANYTHING, BUT CERTAINLY DID HEAR THE SHOOTING WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING. AND THEN, OF COURSE, ALL THE POLICE ARRIVED WITHIN MOMENTS. THEY SAID THE RESPONSE WAS VERY QUICK, BUT THAT CHURCH, WE BELIEVE, IS LIKE A STAGING AREA WHERE THE KIDS AND STAFF WERE TAKEN TO AT FIRST BEFORE THEY BOARDED THOSE BUSSES. YOU CAN SEE THERE’S STILL TWO BUSSES REMAINING RIGHT NOW. I HAVEN’T SEEN ANYBODY ELSE GET ON THOSE THOUGH. THE ONES WE SAW GET ON MOMENT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY JUST BEFORE WE CAME ON THE AIR LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE MAYBE KINDERGARTEN AGE OR FIRST GRADE. THEY WERE VERY YOUNG CHILDREN GETTING ON THOSE BUSSES AND OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, JUST THE THOUGHTS OF WHAT THEY MUST BE THINKING IS HAPPENING. AND, YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY THIS THE FEAR THAT ALL THE CHILDREN HERE HAD TO HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH WITH THIS TERRIFYING EVENT THAT’S STILL WE’RE LEARNING THE DETAILS OF STILL RIGHT NOW. GERRON. YEAH. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH WHAT THAT COMMUNITY WENT THROUGH THIS MORNING. AND WE KNOW THAT THE ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL IS A K THROUGH 12 SCHOOL. SO KIDS OF ALL AGE

At least 3 dead, including suspect in Wisconsin Christian school shooting, police clarify

Updated: 2:54 PM EST Dec 16, 2024

At least three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting. Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment.Police previously said a total of five people had died, but they have since lowered the number to three total deaths. The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.The shooting happened shortly before 11 a.m. CT Monday at Abundant Life Christian School, which has approximately 390 students from grades K-12, police said. What we know so far:At least three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting.Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment. The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, according to police. Here’s the latest (all times Eastern):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. Video above: Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes holds press conference2:03 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 contributed to this report

MADISON, Wis. —

At least three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting.

Video above: Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes holds press conference

Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police previously said a total of five people had died, but they have since lowered the number to three total deaths.

The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.

The shooting happened shortly before 11 a.m. CT Monday at Abundant Life Christian School, which has approximately 390 students from grades K-12, police said.

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What we know so far:

• At least three people are dead in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, including a juvenile who police believe is responsible for the shooting.
• Multiple other people were injured and have been taken to a hospital for treatment.
• The shooter is believed to be a student at the school, according to police.

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Here’s the latest (all times Eastern):

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 contributed to this report