The incident also prompted a large response from emergency responders. Madison Fire Chief Chris Carbone said 15 emergency vehicles responded to calls about the shooting.
Abundant Life Christian School has approximately 400 students from kindergarten through high school.
“Please pray for our Challenger family,” the school wrote in a Facebook post.
Local city officials responded to the shooting during a press conference Monday afternoon.
“Reach out, get help, that shouldn’t be the reality of our community,” said Melissa Agard, Dane County Supervisor.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said he was closely monitoring the incident.
“We are praying for the children, teachers and the entire Abundant Life school community as we await more information and are grateful to the first responders who are working quickly to respond,” Evers said in a statement to X.
President Joe Biden has been informed, the White House said, and senior officials are in contact with local authorities.
Shootings are common in the US, and schools are no exception.
The K-12 Violence Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to reducing violence through accessible and actionable research, counted more than 300 shootings in 2024. This includes when a gun is brandished or fired, or when a bullet enters school property for any reason, regardless of the number of casualties.
According to the information organization EducationWeek, 38 school shooters have been killed or injured in the United States this year. There were a total of 69 victims before today’s shooting, including 16 deaths.
