1 year after Abundant Life shooting, healing comes over time
Updated
On Dec. 16, 2024, a student walked into Abundant Life Christian School, killed a teacher and student, and injured six others before taking her own life. It all unfolded in a matter of minutes.
Families, doctors who treated the victims and police who responded are still grappling with the horrors they saw that day. Experts warn that an online community that idolizes school shooters continues to radicalize young people.
After his wife of 19 years was killed in a school shooting a year ago, one of the biggest questions facing Jack West was whether his daughters should continue to go to school there.
“This is something that we train for, but no one ever wants to be involved in, and so despite what training we do, there’s still going to be a significant impact on our first responders.”
School officials have declined to answer questions related to marking one year since the shooting, but released a statement and a video addressing the events of the last year.
The crime scene tape is long gone, and classes have been back in session since January 10. But for some community members, that day never really ended.
The majority of Democratic proposals, including measures seeking to impose universal background checks or red flag laws, have gained little traction in the GOP-controlled Legislature.
On Dec. 16, 2024, a 15-year-old student at the school, Natalie Rupnow, fatally shot a teacher and a fellow student and wounded six others before turning the gun on herself.
