(NewsNation) — Police in Madison, Wisconsin, continue to investigate the shooting at a Christian school in which a 15-year-old student opened fire and killed two people and injured six others, but have not yet determined a motive.
The area around Abundant Life Christian School remains an active crime scene, and the school community is grieving after the shooting in which police said a second grader was the first to call 911 just before 11 a.m. on Monday.
On Tuesday, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes called the previous 24 hours a flurry of emotion- sadness, anger, disappointment and grief.
“We were brought together by a tragedy and this morning, three families woke up this morning to a world without a loved one,” Barnes said at a news conference. “That can never been outdone.”
Added Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway: “Yesterday, the Madison community experienced a terrible and traumatic event.
“It’s a day that I hoped would never come to our city, but like so many other communities, here we are. We will never be the same, but we will get through this together.”
FBI given online document connected to Madison school shooting
Police have not authenticated a document that is circulating online that speaks to the shooter’s motive. Barnes said Tuesday that the document has not been verified.
Madison Police detectives continue to work on verifying the document, which was handed over to the FBI on Monday. Barnes asked residents not to share the document or to spread any information that may be contained in it.
More information about the document and its content will be shared when the department is able, the chief said Tuesday.
Barnes said that shooting suspect Natalie Rupnow’s family is cooperating with police and allowed officers in their home on Monday without a search warrant. Police interviewed Rupnow’s father on Monday night at length, Barnes told NewsNation on Tuesday morning.
On Tuesday, Barnes said that investigators are looking at existing documents that may have been taken from the shooting suspect’s home during a search on Monday. Investigators are also looking for information that may be contained on laptop computers to determine if the circulating document originated from the shooting suspect.
Barnes, who did not take questions at Tuesday’s news conference, said the question of whether certain students were targeted has been raised.
“Everyone was targeted and everyone was put in equal danger,” he said.
Barnes said that on Tuesday, numerous schools in the Madison area were targeted with false threats, which are often considered “swatting.” Investigators are working to determine where those threats originated.
Barnes said the department does not believe any threats to schools are ongoing.
Madison School Shooter Identified
Authorities identified the shooter as Rupnow, 15, who went by the name Samantha. Rupnow was pronounced dead in transport to a hospital, while one teacher and one teenager were declared dead at the scene.
Two students remain in critical condition and several others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Barnes said.
Barnes said the 911 call was made by a second-grade teacher and not a student as was originally reported.
Natalie Rupnow’s social media activity
Barnes said on Tuesday that detectives are working through Rupnow’s social media activity. Police are asking anyone who knew Rupnow or may have insights into her feelings before Monday’s shooting to contact Madison Area Crimestoppers at (608) 266-6014 or P3-TIPS
NewsNation reported on Tuesday that Rupnow was a first-year student at the school. Barnes said that the department would not be releasing details about the teen’s social media accounts at this time.
The chief also said investigators would not discuss possible motives to not jeopardize an ongoing investigation. He said that any disciplinary records remain the property of the school and so investigators cannot determine whether Rupnow was considered troubled or troubled at school.
Barnes said investigators are speaking with students to determine if bullying may have played a factor in Monday’s deadly shooting.
“Identifying a motive is our top priority,” Barnes said. “But at this time, it appears that a motive was a combination of factors.”
