Bloodbath in US school

Shooting at US school: At least five dead

The search for a motive for the Madison shooting is ongoing.(Bild: APA/AP)

According to the media, a schoolgirl suddenly opened fire at a school in the US state of Wisconsin on Monday, shooting dead a classmate and a teacher. Several other people were injured, some of them seriously. The suspected shooter was already dead when the police arrived.

During an earlier press conference, there had been incorrect talk of at least five dead. The bloody attack took place on Monday morning (local time) at a private Christian school in Madison, where around 400 children and young people from kindergarten age are cared for and taught. The police chief in charge, Shon Barnes, said at a press conference that the shooting was "confined to one room". "Today is a sad, sad day - not just for Madison, but for the entire country," Barnes continued.

Police chief: "There is no longer any danger"
There is currently no longer any danger at the scene or at other schools in the area, emphasized Barnes, who also pointed to a fortunate coincidence: police paramedics were conducting a training course nearby when they were alerted. That is why they were on the scene so quickly. The first priority was to eliminate the gunman. They then dealt with the injured, the police chief told the journalists present.

(Bild: APA/AP)

A lockdown was also imposed on other schools in the surrounding area after the shooting.(Bild: APA/AP)

School asks for prayers
The White House announced that US President Joe Biden had been informed about the situation in Madison. They are in contact with the local authorities to provide support as needed. The school asked for prayers via its Facebook account and said it would share more information as it became available.