By GERMANIA RODRIGUEZ POLEO, US CHIEF REPORTER and RACHEL BOWMAN, US SENIOR NEWS REPORTER

Published: | Updated:

A shooting at a Christian school in Wisconsin left three people dead - including the teenage female shooter - just days before Christmas vacation.

The horrific bloodbath happened at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday morning just before 11am.

Three people were pronounced dead and six others are injured, including two students who are in critical condition, after the atrocity at the K-12 school.

Wisconsin Police confirmed the shooter's identity as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who went by the name Samantha, on Monday night.

She was a pupil at the Madison school. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said at around 10:57am officers responded to calls of an active shooter.

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

Rupnow's motive remains unclear. Police said that her family are cooperating with their investigation into the gun rampage.  

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said around 10:57am officers responded to calls of an active shooter

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said around 10:57am officers responded to calls of an active shooter

'Today is a sad, sad, day,' Barnes said. 'Not just for Madison but for our entire country.' Barnes added that officers did not fire any shots at the school when responding to the incident. 

The police chief said that the two victims in Monday's school shooting were a teacher and a student. The third deceased person was the shooter Natalie Rupnow, who killed herself before police arrived at the school.

Police are not releasing other information about those who have lost their lives until next of kin are briefed.

'I’m not going to give any information about who the victims are, whether they’re students, staff or parents, because we need to make sure that we can notify people,' Barnes said.

Police sources told the Associated Press they believe the shooter used a 9mm pistol.

Police are not releasing other information about those who have lost their lives until next of kin are briefed

Police are not releasing other information about those who have lost their lives until next of kin are briefed

Parents wait outside of the SSM Health Clinic to be reunited with their children

Parents wait outside of the SSM Health Clinic to be reunited with their children

The school has about 390 students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson said on X: '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.'

The school was just days away from closing for Christmas vacation and students were gearing up for Monday night's basketball game.

Abundant Life Christian School posted a prayer request on Facebook in the wake of the shooting. 

Wisconsin

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