In Madison, Wisconsin, authorities are trying to understand why a teenage student opened fire at their Christian school, killing a teacher and a fellow student. A half-dozen others were injured.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
An all-too-familiar ritual took place at a church outside of Madison, Wisconsin, last night – a vigil for the victims and the survivors of a school shooting yesterday at Abundant Life Christian School.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Pastor Marcus Allen worked to comfort the crowd with prayer.
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MARCUS ALLEN: We just ask that you calm the hearts of parents tonight that take a chance by sending their kids to school, a place that should be safe for them, God.
INSKEEP: Police say a teenager opened fire at that school yesterday, killing two people and then herself. Six others are wounded.
MARTIN: Sarah Lehr of Wisconsin Public Radio has been following the story, and she’s with us now. Good morning, Sarah.
SARAH LEHR, BYLINE: Hello.
MARTIN: So what do we know now about what happened inside the school?
LEHR: Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes says the first law enforcement officers arrived at the school on the east side of the city of Madison within four minutes of a second-grader calling 911.
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SHON BARNES: I’m going to let that soak in for a minute. A second-grade student called 911 at 10:57 a.m. to report a shooting at school.
LEHR: Police believe the shooting happened inside a study hall where there were students gathered from multiple grades. The two people killed by the shooter are a teacher and a teenage student.
MARTIN: So as we just heard, we know that the shooting occurred at the school late yesterday morning. I know that the police spoke to the public several times throughout the day. And finally, last night, the police chief – Shon Barnes, as you just told us – he told us some details about the shooter. Could you just remind us of what he said?
LEHR: Yeah. So the shooter has been IDed as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow. Her first name was Natalie, but she went by Samantha. Police say she died of what’s believed to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
MARTIN: And what do we know about the survivors? How are they doing?
LEHR: As of late Monday, police said at least two students were in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Other victims, including a teacher, suffered injuries that weren’t life-threatening. One mother, Mireille Jean-Charles, has three boys who all go to school at Abundant Christian. And she was relieved that none of her sons were injured, but she also says she expects them to have emotional trauma for a long time.
MIREILLE JEAN-CHARLES: This is not OK. If your kids are at school, they are not OK. If they’re at church, they are not OK. If they are outside elsewhere, they are not OK. Where are they going to be safe?
LEHR: When Jean-Charles was reunited with her boys on Monday, she says she cried and prayed. But she also says thoughts and prayers aren’t enough.
MARTIN: Sarah, obviously, there are some things we still want to know. And, I mean, chief among them is why? But what else are the authorities saying that they’re still investigating?
LEHR: Right. So the biggest question – why? – that’s still unclear. Police say they’re still trying to piece together a motive. Officers have recovered a handgun from the scene. Madison police say they’re working with federal officials to trace the origins of the gun. The police chief said late Monday it’s not clear how exactly a 15-year-old got this gun. Officers have searched the shooter’s home in Madison. They searched it on Monday, and police say the family of the shooter has been cooperative.
MARTIN: So are the authorities saying they’re going to share more as they know more?
LEHR: Yes. There’s another news conference set for this afternoon, and Madison’s police chief has warned people to be wary of rumors and misinformation on social media.
MARTIN: That is Sarah Lehr of Wisconsin Public Radio. Sarah, thank you so much.
LEHR: Thank you for having me.
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