A Second Grade Teacher, Not a Student, Called 911 to Report Wis. School Shooting, Police Chief Clarifies

Mar. 15, 2025

Officers stand guard near the Abundant Life Christian School after a shooting earlier that day.Photo:Scott Olson/Getty

MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 16: Police officers stand guard near the Abundant Life Christian School on December 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. A student and teacher were shot and killed and the alleged shooter, who police say they believe to have been a student at the school, was found dead at the scene, according to published reports. Six others were injured with two in critical condition, the reports said.

Scott Olson/Getty

A second grader did not call 911 when gunfire broke outat the Abundant Life Christian Schoolin Madison, Wis. on Monday, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

It was actually a second grade teacher who called authorities, he clarified.

“Yesterday after looking at the computer-aided dispatch system, it seems as if a call came from a second grader,” Barnes said at a press conference. “It actually read that the call came from a second grade teacher. That was a mistake. That’s my responsibility, and I apologize, and I clarify that today.”

Rupnow died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the hospital, Barnestold reportersMonday.

Two victims remain in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, said Barnes. The injuries of the other four are considered non-life-threatening.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes speaks to the media about the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School on Dec. 16, 2024 in Madison, Wis.Scott Olson/Getty

MADISON, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 16: Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes speaks to the media about the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School on December 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin. A student and teacher were shot and killed and the alleged shooter, a 15-year-old female who police say was a student at the school, was found dead at the scene, according to published reports. Six others were injured with two in critical condition, the reports said. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

During Tuesday’s press conference, Barnes said investigators are reviewing the shooter’s social media activity before the fatal shooting.

“We are looking into her online actions,” he said. “There are always signs of a school shooting before it occurred.”

Tracking down a possible motive is the department’s top priority, he said. “At this time, it appears that the motive was a combination of factors.”

Among them was the possibility that she was being bullied, he noted.

“We’re talking to students to understand whether bullying was one of those multiple factors that I mentioned earlier,” he said.

As to whether specific people were targeted, he said, “Everyone was targeted in this incident and everyone was put in equal danger.”

Rupnow’s family is cooperating with the investigation, Barnes said. Rupnow’s father spoke with Madison police at one of their facilities, he said.

The police chief was not aware of any previous interactions between Rupnow and law enforcement.

“Some of you have asked whether or not she was troubled or whether or not she was troubled at school,” Barnes said. “We do not have those records.”

He said authorities are also trying to authenticate what some are referring to as a manifesto, searching through the suspect’s computer to see if they can find the original source of the document.

The shooting took place in a study hall of the K-12 school, per theAssociated Press.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE’s free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

When authorities learned the identity of the shooter, they executed a search warrant on her residence, said Barnes.

Anyone with information on the case is asked to call Crime Stoppers 608-266-6014.

source: people.com

Other Posts

Powered by Hugo