Newtown Action Alliance Statement on the Deadly Madison, Wisconsin School Shooting
For Immediate Release
December 16, 2024
Media Contacts:
John Kelley, 917-679-6475, jkelley@newtownaction.org
David Stowe, 914-552-3741, dstowe@newtownaction.org
Newtown Action Alliance Statement on the Deadly Madison, Wisconsin School Shooting
Newtown, CT — Po Murray, Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, released the following statement in response to the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, a private K-12 Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, where two individuals were killed, multiple others were injured, and the suspected shooter, believed to be a juvenile, was also found deceased:
“Our hearts are with the families impacted by this horrific shooting, the Abundant Life Christian School community, and the residents of Madison. It is devastating that, just two days after the 12-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy—where 20 children and six educators were senselessly killed by a gunman with an AR-15—we are once again mourning lives taken by gun violence in a school.
This tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School marks the 487th mass shooting of 2024. The United States remains trapped in an endless cycle of gun violence, while lawmakers refuse to take the bold action needed to protect children, educators, and families. Schools should be sanctuaries for learning—not places where students and educators live in fear of violence.
Data shows that 76% of school shooters obtain their firearms from their homes or from relatives. This underscores the urgent need for safe storage laws to prevent unauthorized access to firearms. Congress must pass Ethan’s Law to require secure firearm storage and #KeepKidsSafe from preventable tragedies like the one in Madison.
Additionally, while details about the weapon used in this shooting remain unclear, we know that AR-15-style rifles and other assault weapons have become the weapon of choice for school shooters and other mass shooters. These weapons of war are designed for maximum destruction and have no place in civilian hands. Since the Sandy Hook shooting, over 13.7 million AR-15-style rifles have been manufactured in the U.S., generating $11 billion in revenue for the gun industry.
Enough is enough. Congress cannot continue to prioritize gun lobby profits over the lives of children and educators. We demand immediate action to address this national crisis, including:
Passing Ethan’s Law to ensure firearms are securely stored
Banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines
Repealing the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act to remove the gun industry’s civil liability shield.
Enacting universal background checks
Implementing federal Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPO)
Passing Break the Cycle of Violence Act to fund community violence intervention programs
Funding gun violence research
The tragedy at Abundant Life Christian School—a K-12 school with approximately 390 students, just days away from its Christmas vacation—has left yet another community shattered. No family should have to endure the loss of their loved ones to preventable gun violence.
As we reflect on the 12 years since Sandy Hook, we are reminded of the lives lost and communities forever changed by mass shootings. Over the last 12 years:
More than 1.2 million Americans have been shot
Over 480,000 Americans have been killed by guns
There have been more than 5,400 mass shooting incidents
Guns remain the number one killer of American children and teens
The time for action is long overdue. We stand in solidarity with the Madison community and recommit ourselves to fighting for meaningful gun safety legislation. Together, we can end this epidemic and create a future where no child, educator, or family has to endure this kind of senseless trauma.”
###
Newtown Action Alliance (http://alliance.newtownaction.org/) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.