Threat 'neutralized' after active shooter reported outside Wisconsin middle school
MOUNT HOREB, Wis. (WFRV) — An alleged active shooter was "neutralized" outside a Wisconsin middle school, officials said Wednesday morning.
The Mount Horeb Area School District posted on its Facebook page that there was an active shooter at Mount Horeb Middle School shortly after 11:15 a.m. Mount Horeb is located about 25 miles west of Madison.
Authorities said without giving details that the “alleged assailant” was harmed, and a witness said she had heard gunshots and seen children running.
Police from multiple agencies patrolled with rifles around the middle school Wednesday afternoon. Photos by the Wisconsin State Journal showed more than a dozen law enforcement vehicles including SWAT-style trucks near the school with emergency lights flashing. First responders surrounding a gurney on the sidewalk also were visible.
Officials say that the person "did not breach entryway" and that officers were "[scoping] out our building to ensure the safety of our students and staff."
The district said in several posts on Facebook that students at all of the district’s schools were on lockdown and family members were told not to come to any schools.
Shortly after noon, school officials said no additional suspects had been found during a search of the building. No injuries were reported, "with the exception of the alleged assailant," the district reported.
In an earlier post, the district said "the threat has been neutralized outside of the building.” It did not elaborate on how the threat was removed.
Police in Mount Horeb said they could not immediately provide more information. A person who answered the phone at the school district office declined comment.
A representative for the Dane County Sheriff's Office could not immediately be reached.
The district said in Facebook posts that it was preparing buses to bring students from schools to a place where families could reunite with their kids.
"You would be so proud of our students and staff, and we’re so grateful for our first responders. We will keep you updated," the school district wrote.
Shannon Hurd, 44, and her former husband, Nathan Hurd, 39, sat in a car waiting to be reunited with their 13-year-old son, Noah, who was still in the locked-down school.
Hurd said she was alerted to the incident by a text from Noah saying he loved her. She said she nearly fell down the stairs at her work as she ran to get to the school.
“I just want my kid,” she said. “They’re supposed to be safe at school, in Mount Horeb of all places.”
Heidy Lange, owner of Firefly Events Decor & Flowers, said she was in her florist shop about two blocks from the middle school when she looked out and saw kids running and “probably 50 cop cars from everywhere.”
“All of a sudden there was a whole bunch of parents running behind them," Lange said. “All our phones were beeping with all the alerts. It would devastate the town if something happened to a child here.”
Jeanne Keller was in her shop The Quilting Jeanne located down the block from the campus that includes the middle school and another school building when she heard about five gunshots.
“It was maybe like pow-pow-pow-pow,” Keller told The Associated Press by phone. “I thought it was fireworks. I went outside and saw all the children running ... I probably saw 200 children.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.