A student was shot and killed by police outside a Wisconsin middle school following a report of someone with a weapon, according to the state’s attorney general.
State Attorney General Josh Kaul confirmed that deadly force was used by police outside Mount Horeb Middle School. The student, identified as a juvenile male, did not gain entry to the building and no one else was injured in the incident.
Details about the student’s age, which school he attended, and the events that transpired after the police response were not disclosed by Kaul. Multiple Mount Horeb officers, wearing body cameras, fired weapons but the exact number was not provided.
Students were kept in lockdown inside buildings for hours after the incident, with gradual releases to their families later in the afternoon. Superintendent Steve Salerno mentioned that recent security upgrades prevented a potentially more tragic outcome and emphasized the immediate reporting of suspicious activity by students.
Parents and students went through a tense and anxious wait during the lockdown, with reports of children hiding in closets and one class fleeing the gym on in-line skates. Updates were communicated via Facebook posts throughout the day, with authorities confirming only the alleged assailant was harmed.
The middle school was thoroughly searched for additional suspects without success, and the threat was neutralized outside the building. Witnesses described hearing gunshots and seeing children running away from the scene.
The incident took place in Mount Horeb, a small village located about 25 miles west of Madison, and has left the community shaken. With schools across the country implementing various safety measures to prevent mass shootings, the tragedy serves as a reminder of the ongoing need for vigilance and awareness in educational environments.
