On December 18th in Madison, Wisconsin, 15 year old Natalie Rupnow (a student attending Abundant Life Christian School) brought a handgun to her school and opened fire. She wounded several and killed two people (a student and a teacher). Six victims were brought to area hospitals, according to the Madison police. The shooter, Natalie Rupnow, who also went by ¨Samantha¨ passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which was stated by Police Chief Shon Barnes.
It started early in the morning. Natalie Rupnow was in a study hall classroom with students from mixed grades. She pulled out her handgun and unleashed bullets. It was said that the shooter did not appear to target specific individuals, she shot blindly at students and teachers. At 10:57 a.m. a second grade teacher called 911 to report a school shooting, according to Barnes, correcting his former statement, which he said ¨A second-grade student had called 911.¨ A deputy from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office was the first to arrive on scene at 11 a.m. About 3 miles away a group of police medics were in a training session on mass trauma incidents, Barnes stated. They left to care for something they were practicing for in real time. During the beginning of the shooting, the director of elementary and school relations for Abundant Life, Barbara Weirs said, ¨When they heard ´lockdown, lockdown´ and nothing else – they knew it was real.¨ A little boy, sixth grader Adler Jean-Charle was in class with his twin brother at the time of the shooting. When he recalled hearing two gunshots, he asked, ¨Why did they do that?¨ So many students were terrified, which is something no one should ever have to go through.
Wisconsin law generally provides that for hunting purposes, the minimum age for possession or control of a firearm is age 12. A person aged 12 but under age 14 may not hunt without being accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or a person at least 18 years of age who is designated by the parent or guardian. A young person 12 to 14 years of age also may possess a firearm if he or she is enrolled in instruction under the state hunter education program and is carrying the firearm in a case, unloaded, to or from that class, or is handling or operating the firearm during that class under the supervision of an instructor.
Hearing stories like this is devastating. It needs to stop, but we all need to work together for peace. In Washington state, you have to be 21 years old to own handguns and semi automatic assault rifles, and 18 years old for all other long guns. The minimum age to carry a gun almost anywhere in the world is 18 years old. Yet there are many minors carrying guns and using them in the wrong way. Reducing teens’ access to guns and handheld weapons will help reduce crimes and d
On December 18th in Madison, Wisconsin, 15 year old Natalie Rupnow (a student attending Abundant Life Christian School) brought a handgun to her school and opened fire. She wounded several and killed two people (a student and a teacher). Six victims were brought to area hospitals, according to the Madison police. The shooter, Natalie Rupnow, who also went by ¨Samantha¨ passed away from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, which was stated by Police Chief Shon Barnes.
It started early in the morning. Natalie Rupnow was in a study hall classroom with students from mixed grades. She pulled out her handgun and unleashed bullets. It was said that the shooter did not appear to target specific individuals, she shot blindly at students and teachers. At 10:57 a.m. a second grade teacher called 911 to report a school shooting, according to Barnes, correcting his former statement, which he said ¨A second-grade student had called 911.¨ A deputy from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office was the first to arrive on scene at 11 a.m. About 3 miles away a group of police medics were in a training session on mass trauma incidents, Barnes stated. They left to care for something they were practicing for in real time. During the beginning of the shooting, the director of elementary and school relations for Abundant Life, Barbara Weirs said, ¨When they heard ´lockdown, lockdown´ and nothing else – they knew it was real.¨ A little boy, sixth grader Adler Jean-Charle was in class with his twin brother at the time of the shooting. When he recalled hearing two gunshots, he asked, ¨Why did they do that?¨ So many students were terrified, which is something no one should ever have to go through.
Wisconsin law generally provides that for hunting purposes, the minimum age for possession or control of a firearm is age 12. A person aged 12 but under age 14 may not hunt without being accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or a person at least 18 years of age who is designated by the parent or guardian. A young person 12 to 14 years of age also may possess a firearm if he or she is enrolled in instruction under the state hunter education program and is carrying the firearm in a case, unloaded, to or from that class, or is handling or operating the firearm during that class under the supervision of an instructor
Hearing stories like this is devastating. It needs to stop, but we all need to work together for peace. In Washington state, you have to be 21 years old to own handguns and semi automatic assault rifles, and 18 years old for all other long guns. The minimum age to carry a gun almost anywhere in the world is 18 years old. Yet there are many minors carrying guns and using them in the wrong way. Reducing teens’ access to guns and handheld weapons will help reduce crimes and deaths.
Picture of Madison, WI school shooting crime scene.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/16/us/madison-wisconsin-school-shooting/index.html
https://giffords.org/lawcenter/state-laws/minimum-age-to-purchase-possess-in-wisconsin/
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