Three dead including shooter in Abundant Life Christian School attack

A shooting at a private Christian school in the US state of Wisconsin has left three people dead, including the shooter, who was a student at the school, according to authorities. 

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes did not give details about the age or gender of the suspected shooter, who also injured six others at Abundant Life Christian School.

However, an anonymous law enforcement official told the Associated Press the shooter was a 17-year-old female student. 

Chief Barnes said it was believed the shooter likely died by suicide and said their family was cooperating with police. 

The other two dead were a teacher and another teenage student. 

Investigators did not immediately know a motive for the shooting, Chief Barnes said.

"I don't know why, and I feel like if we did know why, we could stop these things from happening," he said.

It is understood the shooter used a handgun, confined to one space. 

Chief Barnes did not specify whether it was a classroom.

He added that detectives were, "working hard to find as many answers as we can".

Authorities had earlier believed the death toll was five, including the shooter. 

Chief Barnes said police officers who responded did not fire their weapons.

Chief Barnes said two people were in critical condition. 

Another four had non-life-threatening injuries.

"I'm feeling a little dismayed now, so close to Christmas," the chief said.

"Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. … We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened."

Chief Barnes said he was not aware that the school had metal detectors, noting it should not need them as a "safe space". 

Police said they had not used their weapons during the response.  (AP: Morry Gash)

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers said he was praying for the school community and was "grateful for the first responders who are working quickly to respond". 

In a statement, President Joe Biden said Congress needed to act on gun control. 

"It is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence," he said.

"We cannot continue to accept it as normal."

Abundant Life Christian School is non-denominational and has about 390 students, from kindergarten through high school, according to its website.

Gun control and school safety have become major political and social issues in the US where the number of school shootings has jumped in recent years.

There have been 322 school shootings this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database website. 

That is the second highest total of any year since 1966, according to that database.

AP/Reuters