At least five people were killed and several others were injured Monday in a shooting at a private Christian school in Wisconsin, police said.
The shooting occurred at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, the state capital, police said.
“This remains an active and ongoing investigation,” Madison police said in a statement. “More information will be released as it is available. We currently need people to avoid the area.”
In an update Monday, Madison Chief of Police Shon Barnes said seven people were initially transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. Their injuries ranged from minor to life-threatening, police said.
A total of five people were declared dead, Barnes said, during the update. Five others remained injured.
Among those killed was a juvenile, Barnes said, who police “believe was responsible for this.” According to Barnes, the juvenile, who was a student at the school, was found deceased “in the building.”
Barnes did not provide further information on others who were killed or injured.
“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever,” Barnes said. “This type of trauma doesn’t go away.”
Police were expected to hold another update Monday afternoon.
Photo and video from the scene showed a heavy police response, with multiple fire trucks and police cars surrounding the school, with some roads in the area closed. According to WMTV15, a public safety alert was sent out to nearby phones around 11:20 a.m.
In a message posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said he was monitoring the situation and “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.”
The school, at 4901 East Buckeye Road, has about 390 students, from kindergarten through high school, according to its website.
This is a developing news story that will be updated as more information becomes available.
