Wisconsin shooting latest: Community grieves victims of school attack but city refuses to publicly name them
Police are investigating the motive of Natalie Rupnow, a 15-year-old student who opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, as they refuse to release the names of the victims
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In the two days since tragedy struck Abundant Life Christian School, the country continues to grieves the victims even as police refuse to reveal their identities.
Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, opened fire Monday at the K-12 school in Madison, killing a classmate and a teacher and injuring six others.
When pressed about the victims’ identities at a Tuesday press conference, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway told reporters that it was “absolutely none of y’all’s business who was harmed in this incident.”
Multiple vigils were held Tuesday night for the victims as neighbors reel from the tragedy.
“It’s just sadness,” one of Rupnow’s neighbors told The Independent. “It’s just sad to think that a kid woke up in the morning and grabbed a gun and went to school, and they’re your neighbor.”
Police continue to investigate the motive behind Rupnow’s shooting. Facebook posts reveal how she joined a shooting range just months before Monday’s mass shooting. Her dad, Jeff, posted on Facebook a photograph of his teen daughter shooting skeet in August.
The teen shooter wore a shirt emblazoned with the logo of the venerable German electro-industrial band KMFDM, resembling one worn by a gunman in the Columbine shooting.
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What to know about the Madison school shooting victims
A student and a teacher were killed during the deadly shooting that occurred at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday in Madison, Wisconsin.
Police were yet to officially name the two ahead of a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Here’s what we do know about the victims so far:
What to know about the Wisconsin school shooting victims
Police were yet to officially name the two ahead of a press conference on Tuesday
Madison shooting is 83rd of 2024, setting record for last two decades
The shooting on Monday in Madison, Wisconsin, is the 83rd school shooting this year.
2024 has been the year with the most school shootings since 2008, according a CNN database.
Watch: Madison mayor says it is ‘none of y’all’s business’ who was killed in shooting
Shooting is Madison’s second in seven months
The incident today in Madison is the area’s second major mass shooting in seven months.
This summer, 12 people were wounded in a shooting at a rooftop party.
Police update number of people injured in Madison rooftop shooting to 12
Police now say at least a dozen people were hurt in a shooting at a rooftop party in Wisconsin's capital city
Not enough information to determine if parents of shooter will be charged
The mayor of Madison, Wisconsin, said that is “far too early” to comment on if the parents of the teen shooter at Abundant Life Christian School will face criminal charges.
“We don’t know nearly enough yet,” Satya Rhodes-Conway said at a press conference on Tuesday.
She added that she thinks law enforcement will “take the steps necessary” as the investigation unfolds.
Watch: Wisconsin Police Department offer condolences to victim’s families after school shooting
Madison mayor tells media it is ‘absolutely none of y’all’s business’ who was harmed in shooting
The mayor of Madison appeared to become frustrated at members of the media at a press conference on Tuesday, telling reporters it was “absolutely none of y’all’s business who was harmed in this incident.”
Satya Rhodes-Conway urged members of the press to have “human decency and respect” for those involved, when asked a question on why little information had been shared so far.
The suspected teenage shooter has been named as Natalie Rupnow, but the victims – a student and a member of staff – have not.
Asked why there had not been answers to some media questions, Rhodes-Conway replied: “Right, I'm going to say this, and then we're done.
“It is absolutely none of y'all business who was harmed in this incident – please have some human decency and respect for the people who lost loved ones or were injured themselves or whose children were injured, just have some human decency, folks.
“Leave them alone. Let them grieve, let them recover, let them heal. Don't feed off their pain. We'll share what we can when we can, and not before that, thank you.”
Watch: Wisconsin Police Chief clarifies shooting 911 call was made by a second grade teacher
Schools in the district were ‘swatted’ on Tuesday, says Madison police chief
Several Madison Metropolitan School District schools were swatted Tuesday, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said at a press conference.
“Today numerous MMSD schools were targeted by false threats often known as swatting. We’re working closely with the Madison Metropolitan School District to determine where these originated and to investigate this call,” he said.
“We do not believe that there are any current threats to any Madison-area schools and will continue to investigate these calls and any threats of violence as they come in.”
Swatting is the act of making a hoax call to emergency services in an attempt to bring about the dispatch of a large number of armed police officers to a particular address.
School shooter’s social media accounts being examined by police
Officials are looking at the online activity of Natalie Rupnow – the teenage suspect in Monday’s shooting – as part of their investigation, according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes.
“We’re asking anyone who knew her or who may have insights into her feelings leading up to yesterday to please contact the Madison Area Crime Stoppers,” he said at a press conference on Tuesday.
Barnes added that investigators will “not be releasing specifics about these social media accounts at this time.”