Joe Biden has urged the Congress to act at the earliest following a tragic shooting at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday morning, December 16. Authorities said a 17-year-old female suspect allegedly opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School, killing a teen pupil and a teacher, and injuring six more people. The suspect was also reportedly found dead at the scene.
‘We can never accept senseless violence’
“Today, families in Madison, Wisconsin, are grieving the loss of those who were killed and wounded at Abundant Life Christian School. It’s shocking and unconscionable,” Biden wrote in a statement. “We need Congress to act. Now.”
“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. We cannot continue to accept it as normal. Every child deserves to feel safe in their class room. Students across our country should be learning how to read and write – not having to learn how to duck and cover,” the president added.
Biden said that he and Jill Biden are praying for the victims, and are grateful for the law enforcement who arrived at the scene quickly. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes has said that authorities reached the school within just three minutes of receiving a 911 call.
“At my direction, my team has reached out to local officials to offer further support as needed,” Biden wrote.
He continued, “My administration has taken aggressive action to combat the gun violence epidemic. We passed the most significant gun safety legislation in nearly 30 years, I have taken more executive action to reduce gun violence than any other President in history, and I created the first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. But more is needed. Congress must pass commonsense gun safety laws: Universal background checks. A national red flag law. A ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.”
“We can never accept senseless violence that traumatizes children, their families, and tears entire communities apart,” Biden concluded.
The shooting occurred two days after the 12th anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting, and follows the March 2023 shooting at a Nashville-area Christian school where six people were murdered by Audrey Hale. The victims and suspect at Abundant Life Christian School have not been named yet.