Washington DC [US]: US Vice President Kamala Harris has strongly condemned the recent shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, which claimed the lives of a student and a teacher and left six others injured. Harris described the incident as another tragic instance of “senseless gun violence” in American classrooms.
“Today, senseless gun violence has once again visited our classrooms as students and teachers in Madison, WI, had their last week of school before Christmas break tragically interrupted by a deadly shooting,” Harris said in a statement.
The Vice President and her husband, Douglas Emhoff, extended their condolences to the victims and their families while expressing gratitude to first responders and law enforcement for their swift action at the scene.
“Doug and I are mourning the student and teacher who were killed and are praying for all those who were injured, including those who remain hospitalized. We are also thinking of the young people and families whose lives have been forever changed by this act of gun violence,” she said.
The shooting occurred as the nation marked 12 years since the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. Harris noted the heartbreaking parallels between the two events, reiterating the urgent need to address the epidemic of gun violence in the United States.
Highlighting progress made through legislative action, including the establishment of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, Harris stressed that more must be done to protect communities.
“While we have made necessary progress together over the last four years, there is more work to be done to ensure that every person has the freedom to live safe from the horror of gun violence,” she stated.
Harris called for universal background checks, red flag laws, safe storage legislation, and a ban on assault weapons as “commonsense solutions” to save lives and make schools and communities safer.
Authorities investigating the incident reported that the shooter, a 15-year-old student, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The tragedy has reignited calls for stronger gun control measures, with advocates emphasizing the need for immediate action to prevent further loss of life in schools and public spaces.