MADISON, Wis. (BP) — A shooting at a Christian school that left three dead, including the shooter, has prompted calls for prayer by local churches.
“My heart is breaking right now,” Pastor Bob Ray of East Madison Baptist Church began in an email this afternoon to his congregation. “… Pray for God’s healing power for those who have been wounded, for God’s comfort, for families who have lost loved ones, and for all the students, staff, and families who have been traumatized.”
Ray’s wife, Carla, teaches at a nearby public school and has at least two coworkers whose children attend Abundant Life Christian School.
“I am also sure many of you know families who have been directly affected,” he wrote.
In addition to the three deceased, six more were injured. It is believed the shooter was a student at the school. An earlier press conference erroneously reported that five had been killed in the shooting.
Abundant Life Christian School shared a brief message on Facebook asking others to please “pray for our Challenger Family.”
According to the About page on the school’s website, Abundant Life was founded in 1978 and serves approximately 200 families from 56 churches in the greater Dane County area, including metropolitan Madison.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, who taught in public school for four years before turning to law enforcement, reported at a 2:30 p.m. central time press conference that authorities responded to a call at Abundant Life Christian at 10:57 a.m. The shooter was already deceased and a handgun was recovered at the scene.
A teacher and teen student died alongside the suspected teen shooter. The six taken to area hospitals include two students with critical, life-threatening injuries and four students with non-life-threatening injuries.
A motive for the shooting has not been ascertained. Barnes said the school has been declared clear with the reunification process of students and parents continuing.
The shooting takes place just over three months since one at Apalachee High School in suburban Atlanta that left two teachers and two students dead.
(EDITOR’S NOTE — Scott Barkley is chief national correspondent for Baptist Press.)
