Madison police chief says alleged motive of Wisconsin Christian school shooting suspect seemed to be 'combination of factors'

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said on Tuesday the alleged motive of the suspect in Monday’s shooting at a Wisconsin Christian school seemed to be “a combination of factors.”

“Identifying a motive is our top priority, but at this time, it appears that the motive was a combination of factors,” Barnes said. “Again, [we] cannot share that information at this time, because we do not want to jeopardize the investigation and those who are currently cooperating with us.”

Barnes had previously said he didn’t know the motivation behind the Abundant Life Christian School shooting that killed two and resulted in multiple injuries. Local authorities have identified the shooter as a 15-year-old named Natalie Rupnow, a student at the school.

During Tuesday’s press conference, Barnes said that authorities “know a document has been widely shared on social media” and that they “cannot verify its authenticity.”

“We are working to authenticate the documents that you see online that some are referring to as a manifesto,” Barnes added later. “And as soon as we do that, we will let you know.”

Barnes also stated that he would “like to provide an important clarification” about the events of the shooting.

“Yesterday, after looking at the … computer-aided dispatch system, it seems as if a call came from a second grader. It actually read, 'The call came from a second-grade teacher,'” he said. “That was a mistake. That’s my responsibility.”

Late Monday morning, officers responded to an active shooter call at Abundant Life, with multiple officers giving lifesaving aid to those wounded in the school. Barnes said Monday that there was nothing indicating a history of violence or concern at the school and called it a “sad, sad day.”

In a Monday statement, President Biden called the shooting “shocking and unconscionable.”

“From Newtown to Uvalde, Parkland to Madison, to so many other shootings that don’t receive attention — it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence,” Biden said in the statement.

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