3 dead, including suspect, in shooting at Madison’s Abundant Life Christian School

At least three people died in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison Monday.

Those who died included the shooter, whom Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes described as a juvenile and student at the school. The other two victims were a teacher and a teenage student at the school.

Barnes said at least six additional people were injured. During a 2:30 p.m. press conference, he said of those injured, two students were in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. Four other students were at area hospitals with non-life threatening injuries.

Police had earlier reported that five people including the suspect had died, but revised that total at about 1 p.m.

Barnes said police were called to the school at 10:57 a.m.

“When officers arrived they found multiple victims suffering from gunshot wounds,” he said.

Officers found “a juvenile they believe was responsible for this deceased in the building.”

Barnes said police did not fire their weapons in the school.

“The protocols are simple. Stop the killing, stop the dying, find out who’s doing this. The officers did that, and they did that adamantly,” he said.

The police chief said no additional identifying information would be shared about the shooter including their age or gender.

Barnes said the school and surrounding area had been cleared, and there was no longer a threat to the community.

Bethany Highman’s daughter attends Abundant Life. Speaking to reporters Monday afternoon outside a reunification center set up for families, Highman said she was able to talk to her daughter on the phone but had not yet been able to see her.

“I just want to make sure that she’s in the right mindset and she’s mature enough to be able to understand and really grasp the concept,” Highman said.

“Who’s prepared for any of this?” she added. “I don’t know what to do. I’m gonna just gather with community, family, with my daughter.”

According to Barnes, Abundant Life serves about 200 families including students from pre-kindergarten through high school. The school campus is surrounded by homes in the East Buckeye neighborhood.

“Every child, every person in that building, is a victim and will be a victim forever. These types of trauma don’t just go away,” Barnes said.

“I don’t have all the answers that you want right now, but I will tell you this, we have some of the best officers in the entire country. Our detectives are amazing. We’re going to go and work hard and go through this scene so that we can piece together what exactly happened again,” Barnes said.

A reunification center was set up at the SSM Health clinic on Stoughton Road for school families to join their children. That process was underway Monday afternoon, though Barnes said it can take awhile.

Other schools in the area were put on security holds during the investigation. At 12:30 p.m. the Madison Metropolitan School District emailed parents saying all schools had lifted their security protocols except La Follette and Sennett — the two schools closest to Abundant Life. The Monona Grove School District emailed parents saying Cottage Grove schools were no longer being secured. Monona schools were being kept secure “out of an abundance of caution.”

Police have encouraged the public to avoid the area along 4900 Buckeye Road in Madison.

Editor’s note: This story will be updated.