Natalie Rupnow: Everything we know about Wisconsin shooting unleashed by teen girl

Shooter Natalie Rupnow, 15, took a 9mm pistol into Abundant Life Christian School in Madison on Monday morning and opened fire at pupils and teachers

A teenage girl "dealing with problems" opened fire inside a study hall at a private Christian school in Wisconsin, United States, killing a teacher, pupil and wounding six others.

Natalie Rupnow, 15, who also went by the name Samantha, took a 9mm pistol into Abundant Life Christian School on Monday morning and gunned down students and staff. Two pupils were left in critical condition following the shooting, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. A teacher and three students were taken to a hospital with less serious injuries, and two of them were later released.

“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. ... We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened,” Barnes said. Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school — prekindergarten through high school — with approximately 420 students in Madison, the state capital.

Barbara Wiers, the school’s director of elementary and school relations, said when they practice safety routines, leaders always announce that it’s a drill. That didn’t happen Monday, just a week before Christmas break.

“When they heard, ‘Lockdown, lockdown,’ they knew it was real,” she said. Wiers said the school does not have metal detectors but uses other security measures including cameras. President Joe Biden said in a statement that the shooting was "shocking and unconscionable". "Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover," said Biden

Who is Natalie Rupnow?

Pupil Natalie Rupnow, 15, also known as Samantha, carried out a deadly shooting at Abudant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday morning at around 11am (17.00GMT). She was a student at the school and had a brought a gun to the campus and opened fire, killing a teenager pupil and a teacher, and injuring six others. The attack occurred during a study hall in a classroom with mixed-grade students.

Two of the injured are in a critical condition with life-threatening injuries, according to police. Rupnow, who sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was pronounced dead on the way to the hospital. Police said they had no dealings with Rupnow before and she had no criminal record.

Where is Abundant Life Christian School?

The shooting took place at a private school Christian school which has around 420 students ranging from kindergarten to high school. According to its website, it was founded in 1978 as a community Christian school and has around 200 families from 56 different churches in the Dane County area. It has a 28-acre campus and offers smaller class sizes which make it a "warm and respectful atmosphere and a student body representing a wide variety of different area churches." School fees can cost up to £7,800 a term.

Following the shooting, the school posted on Facebook: "All of our students have been united with their parents and we are grateful for all the support. We have been flooded with thoughts & prayers. This great nation is behind us. So grateful for the tsunami of prayers for our students, staff, & families."

Rupnow's manifesto showed her 'dealing with problems'

According to police, authorities are aware of a reported manifesto by Rupnow which claim to show her "dealing with problems." In some of the reported extracts, Rupnow is alleged to have written "she was being picked on" and had moved schools previously.

A law enforcement source told CNN that Rupnow "had been dealing with problems and expressed some of those in writings, which they are now reviewing." 'Authorities have been unable to identify the authenticity of a manifesto, police chief Barnes said. Investigators are yet to determine a motive behind the shooting but police are investigating how the 15-year-old girl was about to get hold of a gun.

Barnes said police were talking with the shooter’s father and other family members, who were cooperating, and searching the shooter’s home. “He lost someone as well,” Barnes said of the shooter’s father. “And so we’re not going to rush the information. We’ll take our time and make sure we do our due diligence.”

How did the shooter bring the gun to school?

The school is facing security questions after Rupnow was able to bring a gun onto the campus and open fire. According to police, the school does not use metal detectors or employ a school resource officer. Although it does have cameras and lockdown protocols, which were implemented during the shooting.