Security forces are deployed after a shooting attack outside a school in Madison, Wisconsin. At least three people have been killed in a shooting attack at a school in the US state of Wisconsin, according to revised police reports. The suspected shooter is also among the dead, according to the police department in Madison. Photo: Morry Gash/AP/dpa
Keystone
At least two people have been killed in a gun attack at a school in the US state of Wisconsin, according to police reports.
Keystone-SDA
17.12.2024, 03:29
SDA
The suspected shooter is also dead, according to the police department in Madison. During an earlier press conference, there had been "erroneous" reports of at least five people killed at the Christian school in the city of Madison.
According to reports in the American media, a 17-year-old schoolgirl is said to have committed the crime. The authorities only stated that the fatalities were a teacher and a student; no names were released.
In addition to the dead, there were also several injured, said police chief Shon F. Barnes. However, there were also contradictory statements from the police. When asked, Barnes did not comment on the possible background to the crime or whether the shots were fired by a man or a woman. However, he emphasized that the police had not fired.
US President Biden: "shocking and unconscionable"
"Today is a sad, sad day - not just for Madison, but for the whole country," said Barnes. US President Joe Biden called the act "shocking and unconscionable". He called on Congress to act and tighten gun laws. It is "unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence".
The school in the US Midwest asked for prayers via its Facebook account and said it would provide more information as soon as possible. According to media reports, around 390 students from kindergarten to twelfth grade attend the school.
Gun violence a major problem in the USA
In the United States, deadly gun violence is part of everyday life. Guns are not only readily available there, but also circulate in enormous numbers. Particularly serious acts of violence, for example in schools, supermarkets, nightclubs or at public events, repeatedly spark heated debates about tightening gun laws - but so far without any tangible progress. Substantial reform of gun laws has been blocked by Republicans for years.
The top US health official declared gun violence a national health crisis in June. According to authorities, thousands of people die every year from injuries caused by firearms - whether they are the fault of others or themselves. Among children and adolescents, gun injuries are one of the leading causes of death.