Wisconsin lawmakers and public officials issued statements in response to a shooting at a K-12 Christian school in Madison Monday morning.
A teenage student and teacher were killed at Abundant Life Christian School, and the suspected teenage shooter was found dead, police said Monday afternoon. Six other students are injured, including two students who are in critical condition.
Madison police erroneously reported earlier in the day that five were dead and five were injured.
Many legislators offered thoughts and prayers for the Madison community, while others criticized a lack of action on gun policy by Congress and the state Legislature.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting, according to the White House, and senior White House officials were in touch with local officials in Madison.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that he’s “closely monitoring the incident” and “praying for the kids, educators, and entire Abundant Life school community.”
Here are more statements from federal, state and local officials in Wisconsin:
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jill Underly issued her second school shooting statement in a seven-month period. As she also emphasized in her first statement in May in Mount Horeb, schools are meant to be safe places.
“Our hearts are heavy with great sorrow as we mourn the senseless loss of life in yet another school shooting,” Underly wrote. “No community should ever face the pain of losing children, teachers, or friends to violence — especially in our schools.”
Underly underscored the need to “do more to protect our children and educators” and present a future “where senseless acts of violence are no longer a reality.”
Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan, whose district includes Madison, said his office is “in touch with local law enforcement and will continue to monitor the situation and offer any assistance we can provide to our first responders.”
On his personal X account, Pocan said to “be ready for the lack of action on guns by this Congress. Sad.” He responded to several Wisconsin Republicans on X, criticizing them for sending “thoughts and prayers” instead of taking “action.”
Pocan got into an online exchange with Republican U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, who represents the western part of the state and had criticized Pocan for an earlier tweet Monday about inaction on the Farm Bill.
“There was a shooting at a school in your district a very short time ago, and you choose to play politics with our farmers instead of focusing on hurting families,” Van Orden tweeted. “Absolutely pathetic, @MarkPocan. This is low even for you. Be better.”
Pocan responded: “Be way better. And support better gun laws or stay out. Thought & prayers are useless. Action!”
In a statement on his official account, Van Orden said he was “shocked” by reports of a shooting and that he and his wife are “praying for the students, teachers and families impacted.”
“I will continue to monitor the situation as more information is released and am standing by to assist in any way possible,” Van Orden said.
“My sincere condolences and prayers for all the victims of the tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School. I will continue to closely monitor the situation,” Republican U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson said on X.
“I have been briefed on the active shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison and my heart goes out to all those impacted. My office is in touch with local and state officials, and I stand ready to assist law enforcement and anyone affected,” Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin said on X.
U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil, a Republican who represents southeastern Wisconsin, addressed the shooting on the House floor.
“I’d like to share my heartfelt condolences to the victims of the tragic events that took place at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, this morning,” Steil said. “We continue to monitor this situation, but we are all thankful to the first responders, the men and women of law enforcement, medical professionals who responded and answered the call. And we keep all of them — the first responders, as well as the victims — in our prayers today.”
U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, a Republican who represents northern Wisconsin, said on X that he and his wife “send our prayers to all affected by the tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School.”
“We are grateful for our first responders, and we will continue to monitor the situation as more details become available,” Tiffany said.
Gabrielle Giffords, a former congresswoman and founder of a national gun violence prevention organization, released a statement.
“Just days after we remembered the 26 lives lost at Sandy Hook Elementary School, another school community has been subjected to the terror of a mass shooting in Madison,” Giffords said. “Students deserve to attend school free from gun violence, but in our country, it is the number one killer of children — a devastating, preventable tragedy that demands action from our elected leaders.”
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard in a statement said the community was “reeling” from the shooting and committed to providing resources to the school, students and families.
“No community should ever have to endure such a tragedy,” she said. “My administration will do everything in its power to provide assistance in the face of this devastating loss. To all those grieving, please know that you are not alone. Dane County stands with you, and we are here to support you in any way possible. I have been in communication with the Governor’s office as well as the Mayor of Madison’s office and we will continue to update the public as we learn more.”
At an afternoon press briefing, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway said she hoped “this day would never come in Madison.”
“I am on record that I think we need to do better in our country and our community to prevent gun violence,” Rhodes-Conway said. “It is not something that any mayor, any fire chief, any police chief, any person in public office ever wants to have to deal with.”
State Rep. Lisa Subeck, a Democrat who represents Madison in the state Legislature, said “parents should be able to send their kids to school and know that they will be safe.”
“Today, our community grieves for the lives lost in this heartbreaking tragedy. My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” she said.
State Sen. Kelda Roys, a Democrat whose district includes the school, said “guns are the number one cause of death for American children, and that is a policy choice.”
“Right now, it’s hard to think of a greater moral failing as a nation and society than our inaction and unwillingness to keep our children safe from gun violence,” Roys said in a statement. “In this next legislative session, we can and must come together to pass reasonable gun safety measures to reduce firearm injuries and deaths.”
On X, Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said his “heart is heavy following the shooting at a Madison school. I can’t imagine the pain for families, teachers and students.”
“Legislators at the State Capitol and at the U.S. Capitol have to stop wringing their hands. There are changes they can make that will help reduce gun violence in schools,” Johnson said.
On X, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said the “tragedy we are witnessing unfold in Madison is horrifying. I’m praying for the victims, their families, and the Madison community during this tragic time.”
“Gun violence anywhere is a threat to everyone in Wisconsin. We must continue working to end gun violence, foster safer neighborhoods and save lives,” Crowley said.
Journal Sentinel reporters Lawrence Andrea and Natalie Eilbert contributed to this story.
