A tragic incident occurred near a middle school in Mount Horeb, Wis., where an armed student was shot and killed by police after an “active shooter” threat was reported. Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul confirmed the incident during a news conference, emphasizing that the situation could have been much worse. The authorities did not release the identity of the student who was killed, but stated that he attended a school in the Mount Horeb Area School District. It was unclear what type of weapon the student had or whether he fired at the officers who responded to the threat.
The Mount Horeb Area School District initially alerted the community about the active shooter near the middle school through a Facebook post, assuring that the individual did not enter the school premises. District Superintendent Steve Salerno described the event as “any parent’s nightmare” and expressed shock at the situation. As police officers conducted a search at the school, it was confirmed that there were no additional suspects, and no one else was harmed except for the assailant. The district announced that the schools would remain in a “hard lockdown” as the police continued their investigation.
Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing children running in the vicinity of the middle school in Mount Horeb. Parents were urged to refrain from coming to the school and were informed that reunification with their children would take time and be done in stages. Melissa Alvarado, a parent, shared her distress at receiving a call from her children about the shooting while she was at work, not knowing if it would be their last conversation. The village of Mount Horeb and the local Chamber of Commerce extended their gratitude to the police and businesses that provided a safe place for students during the crisis.
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers expressed his concern for the health and safety of the students, educators, and staff involved in the incident, offering prayers for their well-being. Dane County Executive Joe Parisi acknowledged the impact of such events on the community, noting that they can cause trauma, sorrow, and require a moment of reflection for everyone. The reunification of students with their families was ongoing, with the district coordinating dismissals and keeping the community updated on the situation.Wisconsin authorities are likely to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to determine the circumstances leading to the active shooter threat and the subsequent fatal shooting of the student by police.
