One teenage student and a teacher are dead after a gunman opened fire at a K-12 private school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday. Six people were also injured as the tragedy unfolded at Abundant Life Christian School around 11 a.m., CBS News reported. Two of the injured students sustained life-threatening injuries. Four other students sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said the suspect, who is a teenager, was found dead in a building at the school. Although the shooter’s identity hasn’t been revealed, police said the suspect is a female who was a student at the school, per CNN. Officers added that the shooter used a 9-millimeter pistol. Investigators are now working to trace the gun.
Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway released a statement after the shooting, saying mental health resources are available to those affected by the tragedy.
“If anyone needs mental health support as a result of this incident and the coverage of it, I encourage them to reach out to 988 by phone or text and to get the mental health support that they need,” Rhodes-Conway said, per CNN. “It is incredibly important that we take care of our community in this very difficult time.”
At a news conference, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes was asked about what can be done to protect children from shootings in schools.
“I think you’re asking me how can I say 100% that no child will ever be harmed in school? I can’t. No police chief can,” Barnes said, per CNN. “All I can tell you is that we have systems in place so that if something happens, we can respond like we did today. I can tell you that our mayor and our county exec has committed resources to not only public health, but also mental health.”
Barnes also confirmed that Abundant Life Christian School was without a school resource officer at the time of the shooting.
“If they did, it would be a police officer and I know where they all are and they’re not in the schools right now,” he said.