Madison school shooting; UW Health doctors reflect nearly 1 year later
Doctors reflect on Madison school shooting
Nearly a year of after a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School, doctors at UW Health are reflecting on what happened and the training they hoped to never need.
MADISON, Wis. - Nearly a year after a fatal school shooting in Madison, the UW Health medical teams who rushed to the scene say the training they hoped they’d never need made the difference.
What we know:
Three people died, including the shooting suspect, and six others were injured when a teen opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School on Dec. 16, 2024.
Two members of UW Health’s pediatric emergency team were among the first to respond.
What they're saying:
Dr. Megan Gussick said she immediately jumped into her car after learning what had happened, heading straight toward the unfolding emergency.
"It was really startling when I received that phone call," Gussick said.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
Gussick said the injuries were so severe that delays of even a few minutes could have been fatal.
"These kids, if they had been on scene for a few minutes more, absolutely would have succumbed to their injuries," she said.
As the emergency unfolded, Gussick responded to American Family Children’s Hospital, where teams worked to stabilize incoming patients. Gussick helped coordinate with emergency staff as well as families who had no way of knowing whether their children were safe.
"When these kids arrived we had no idea who they were and no ability to contact their families," she said.
Madison school shooting: Victims in 'good condition,' Culver's shows support
Two victims of the Madison school shooting are now in "good condition," UW Health said on Tuesday, Jan. 14.
Dr. Nicholas Kuehnel was tasked with informing families about their children’s conditions while overseeing operations inside the emergency department. He brought in about 100 extra staff members the day of the shooting.
"I think that was probably one of the more difficult conversations that I had to have in my career," he said.
He said what might appear chaotic is actually the result of extensive planning and drills.
"It can look rather chaotic honestly," Kuehnel said. "But behind the scenes there has been hours and hours of planning that’s gone into this. And it really is a well coordinated team."
Dig deeper:
The two critically injured students, now-15-year-old River Clardy and 18-year-old Samy Garduno-Martinez, survived and later reunited with the paramedics who saved them.
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
Nearly a year later, the providers say pride and a positive outlook outweigh the pain of that day.
"The last time first responders saw those kids, they were literally dying in front of them," Gussick said. "We did the big things right that day."
Nearly a year later, the providers say pride and hope outweigh the pain of that day.
The medical teams say their training and preparation helped save lives.
Madison school shooting: Natalie Rupnow was new student, school says
The 15-year-old Madison school shooting suspect was only in her first semester at Abundant Life Christian School but seemed to be settling in.
The Source: The information in this post was collected and produced by FOX6 News.