Updated on 5-4-2024 at 2:00 PM – The Wisconsin Department of Justice released new details about the police shooting that occurred at Mount Horeb Middle School on Wednesday, May 1st.
Around 11:11 AM, authorities were notified of a person moving toward Mount Horeb Middle School with a backpack and ‘a long gun’. Mount Horeb Police responded to the call and located a subject near the main entrance of the school. Officers directed the subject to put the weapon down but they did not comply. The subject pointed the weapon at police and officers discharged their firearms. Lifesaving measures were performed but the subject died at the scene.
The weapon was a Ruger .177 caliber pellet rifle.
No law enforcement officers or witnesses were physically injured. Involved law enforcement remains on administrative leave. Body cameras were used during the incident.
MOUNT HOREB, Wis. — The community of Mount Horeb is still reeling from a tragedy: a student from their own school district attempting to enter the Mount Horeb Middle School with a gun. Police shot and killed the student before they could enter the building on Wednesday.
Classes are canceled again Friday and will resume on Monday. Several buildings will be open for support services on Friday and events scheduled for the evening will go on.
Superintendent Dr. Steve Salerno credits the community’s support for preventing a larger tragedy. Nonetheless, he says more safety measures will be added when schools reopen.
“We would prefer to have an officer in each one of our buildings for a while…and to bring peace of mind for the community we’ll have additional officers driving by and checking in,” he said at a press conference on Thursday.
According to Wisconsin Office of School Safety Director Trish Kilpin, the next steps for school safety must involve prevention, protection and mitigation when something does happen.
“We’re lessening the impact of that and reducing the trauma symptoms for our youth and our community,” she said.
The Mount Horeb School District designated Thursday as a time devoted to staff to help them process their trauma. On Friday, they’ll continue that process and coach staff on how they can fully support students upon returning to school Monday.
Dr. Salerno stressed that support and resources will extend into and beyond the remainder of the school year.
“I don’t foresee us being able to say that this is behind us before the end of the school year.”
Dr. Salerno also reminded the community to have sympathy for the child and classmate they’ve lost: “It’s not lost on any of us that we’ve lost a beautiful soul in our district, and there’s a family that’s hurting right now.”
