Second-grade teacher called police over Wisconsin school shooting

Authorities in Wisconsin have announced that the emergency call regarding the school shooting on Monday was made by a second-grade teacher, rather than a student as they initially reported.

A 15-year-old girl named Natalie Rupnow has been identified by officials as the shooter in a tragic incident at a private Christian school, where she fatally shot a teenage student and a teacher, and injured six others. The assailant, who was a student at the school, was later discovered dead with a handgun in her possession.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes expressed regret for incorrectly stating that the 911 call was made by a child, believed to be around seven or eight years old. He clarified that the mistake was due to a misinterpretation of the police log.

Mr. Barnes indicated that the reasons behind the fatal shooting seemed to stem from "a mix of different elements."

The identities of the victims have not been released, and the name of the child who reported the incident hasn't been shared either.

Chief Barnes reported that two students had life-threatening injuries. Four additional students were hospitalized, but two of them were discharged later on.

The assailant, who went by the first name Samantha, is thought to have succumbed to a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No shots were fired by the police.

According to Chief Barnes, she was a student at the school prior to carrying out the attack on Monday. The shooting occurred in a study hall where students from various grades were present.

When questioned about a message that was posted online and is claimed to be written by Rupnow, Chief Barnes responded, "We haven't confirmed if it's genuine. We know it’s out there, and the individual who shared it claims to have a link to it." He also mentioned that the information has been passed on to the FBI.

Rupnow's family has been working together with the investigators. According to local news, a property located north of Madison was searched on Monday.

Officials are seeking input from witnesses, and several individuals who were at Abundant Life Christian School during the attack have shared their experiences with the local press.

Eight-year-old Nora Gottschalk shared with CNN affiliate WISC that she was preparing for lunch when she heard gunfire. She witnessed a wounded teacher crying out for assistance. "I felt really frightened and very upset," she expressed.

Adler Jean-Charles, a sixth grader, reported that he heard two gunshots while he was attending his English class. "A few people began to cry, and then we just waited for the police to arrive," he shared with WISC.

Bethany Highman, a former student of the school who now has a daughter enrolled there, shared with WMTV, a CNN affiliate, "Every morning, I pray with my children that we won't face such a situation. Unfortunately, this is the reality we live in."

The school's director of relations mentioned that students would have been quite recently prepared for a mass shooting situation, as training sessions took place earlier this year.

President Joe Biden described the shooting as "shocking and unacceptable," urging lawmakers to take swift action on legislation that could help curb further gun violence.

Mass shootings frequently occur in the United States, even in educational institutions. As reported by EducationWeek, there have been 38 incidents this year resulting in casualties. Prior to Monday's incident, there were a total of 69 individuals impacted, with 16 fatalities.

However, incidents of school shootings carried out by female perpetrators are uncommon.

The school, with approximately 400 students ranging from kindergarten through high school, is currently shut down while the investigation is ongoing.