Following the tragic incident at a school in Madison, Police Chief Shon Barnes has revealed that investigators are working closely with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) to determine the origin of the gun allegedly used by a 15-year-old student.
The shooting, carried out by the student identified as Natalie Rupnow, resulted in the deaths of two individuals and left six others injured before Rupnow took her own life.
Chief Barnes emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, 'We have asked our partners with the ATF to expedite what’s called an ATF trace form to try and determine the origin of that weapon, who purchased it and how it got from a manufacturer all the way to the hands of a 15-year-old girl. These are questions that are going to take some time to answer.'
Expressing his stance on gun control, Barnes firmly stated, 'I do not believe that 15-year-olds should have access to weapons that they can bring to school and potentially hurt someone. We really have to do a better job not only in our communities but in our country with making sure that our young folks don’t have access to weapons and firearms and certainly making sure that we’re paying attention to the mental health of our children.'
The police chief announced that a media briefing is scheduled for 12 p.m. CT (1 p.m. ET) to provide further updates on the ongoing investigation.
