School shooting in Wisconsin kills two, shooter also found dead
A teacher and student are among the fatalities after a school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden offered his condolences Monday to the victims of a school shooting in Wisconsin and urged Congress to pass tougher gun-control laws.
“Today, families in Madison, Wisconsin, are grieving the loss of those who were killed and wounded at Abundant Life Christian School,” Biden said in a statement. “It’s shocking and unconscionable.”
Citing other school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, Uvalde, Texas, Parkland, Florida and “so many other shootings that don’t receive attention, Biden said “it is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence.”
“We cannot continue to accept it as normal,” the president said. “Every child deserves to feel safe in their classroom. Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover.”
A teacher and a teenage student were killed in Monday’s shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. Two students are in critical condition and four other students suffered non-life-threatening injuries and are at area hospitals, police said.
Police said the suspected shooter was also found dead at the scene.
The White House said Biden spoken to Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway following the shooting and offered his support to help the community.
In his statement, Biden said he and first lady Jill Biden are praying for all of the shooting victims. He also expressed gratitude to the first responders who arrived quickly on the scene. The FBI is supporting local law enforcement efforts, he said, adding that, at his direction, his team also has reached out to local officials to offer further support as needed.
Biden noted steps his administration has taken to combat gun violence, including the passage of the most significant gun-safety legislation in nearly 30 years. “But more is needed,” he said.
He called on Congress to pass “commonsense” gun safety laws, such as universal background checks, a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and a national “red flag” law that would allow police or family members to get a court order to temporarily confiscate firearms from a person who may present a danger to others or themselves.
“We can never accept senseless violence that traumatizes children, their families, and tears entire communities apart,” Biden said.
Lawmakers are unlikely to consider additional gun-safety measures anytime soon since Republicans will hold majorities in both the House and the Senate starting in January, while Donald Trump – who was endorsed by the NRA – returns as president to the White House.
Michael Collins covers the White House. Follow him on X @mcollinsNEWS.