Families at a Tightknit Wisconsin School Wonder How a Shooting Occurred

Parents sent their children to Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, for a variety of reasons. Some were attracted by the school’s strong academic standards, its competitive sports programs, or its foundation in Christian values. Many others, however, emphasized the unique connections the school helped foster among students. Abundant Life, a small yet growing institution serving children from toddlers to teens, was known for its sense of community.

That sense of connection was particularly evident during events such as an all-school Christmas concert last week and a pajama day celebration for middle schoolers this week. On Tuesday, families clung to those bonds as they mourned the tragic events that unfolded on Monday—when a shooting claimed the lives of a student and a teacher, leaving six others injured.https://wordpress.com/

“We’re like a family here. We all know each other, even if we’re not in the same grade,” said Karl Gottschalk, who has three children enrolled at Abundant Life. “This is such a small, religious school. We never imagined something like this could happen.”

By Tuesday, four victims were still hospitalized, two of them in critical condition. A growing memorial appeared outside the school, and vigils were scheduled for the evening. Families were left questioning how such a horrific incident could have occurred at their close-knit school on Madison’s east side.

“We’re growing, but we still feel very connected,” said Michelet Jean-Charles, a parent who moved to Wisconsin from Haiti and enrolled his children at Abundant Life because its teachings resonated with his Christian faith. “We trust everyone here—the kids, the parents. We hug, we shake hands.”

The shooter, identified as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, was a student at Abundant Life. She was found by police shortly after the attack and was pronounced dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

On Tuesday, city officials provided few updates. Police Chief Shon F. Barnes, after several news briefings on Monday, declined to answer questions at a Tuesday press conference. He briefly stated that the motive appeared to be a combination of factors, but did not elaborate further. When asked whether specific individuals had been targeted, Chief Barnes said, “Everyone was targeted, and everyone was in equal danger.”

Madison officials did not release the names of the two deceased victims. “It is absolutely none of y’all’s business who was harmed in this incident,” Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway stated.

Abundant Life, founded in 1978, had experienced rapid growth in recent years, with about 420 students enrolled, up from 290 three years ago, according to state records. Many of these families participated in a state voucher program that helps cover private school tuition.

A 2018 audit of the school’s lunch program noted that staff members were well-acquainted with students and treated them with respect. In 2020, Abundant Life was among several schools that challenged Dane County’s decision to close schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ultimately sided with the schools, including Abundant Life.

Nick Cardarella, whose wife works at Abundant Life and whose stepsons attend the school, described it as having an open and welcoming atmosphere. “It’s come as you are. There’s a religious element, but they’re never pushy about it.”

On the normally festive last week of classes before Christmas, parents were working to help their children process the trauma. Jason Johns shared that he couldn’t reach his 15-year-old daughter for over an hour after hearing about the shooting. When they finally spoke, she explained that while in class, she heard loud bangs, which her teacher initially thought were students slamming lockers. Then, screams and the sound of people falling to the ground came from the next room. Her teacher quickly shut the blinds and turned off the lights, and soon after, police escorted them from the building.

Details about the shooting remained scarce. It was supposed to be a regular school day, with chicken sandwiches on the lunch menu and the boys’ basketball team scheduled for a road game in Palmyra. But at 10:57 a.m., a teacher reported the shooting, which had initially been misreported by Chief Barnes as coming from a second-grade student. By the time officers arrived three minutes later, they found the shooter at 11:05 a.m., with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooter had used a handgun, but it was unclear how she obtained it.

Authorities confirmed that the attack took place during study hall, with students from multiple grades present. Chief Barnes noted that there had been no prior contact with law enforcement regarding the shooter. Investigators were in touch with her parents, but there was no indication that they had committed any crimes.

Barbara Wiers, an administrator at Abundant Life, explained that students and staff had been trained to respond to such incidents. The school monitors security cameras, but there are no metal detectors or on-site police officers. Some parents noted that Abundant Life’s policy requiring students to leave their cellphones in lockers made it difficult for them to contact their children during the crisis.

As families struggled to comprehend the event, many turned to their Christian faith for strength.

“It’s a close-knit community, with excellent academics, but what truly holds us together is our love for Jesus and our trust in God,” said Hannah Lease, whose sons attend Abundant Life. “That’s what’s keeping us going right now.”

The future was uncertain. Mr. Johns, who was comforting his daughter, said it was too soon to determine whether she would feel safe returning to the school. For now, he wanted to give her the chance to spend time with family, pray, watch movies, and celebrate Christmas, though she was unsure if she would be able to enjoy the holiday this year.

“Abundant Life has been such a wonderful place for her,” Mr. Johns said. “She’s always been so happy there. The anger in me asks, ‘Is that joy taken away now? Can she come back?’ I don’t know.”