WISCONSIN — On Monday, Dec. 16, a 15-year-old female student, later identified as Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, killed another teenage student and a teacher at Abundant Life Christian School, police said. The shooter is also deceased. Another six people were taken to the hospital with injuries ranging from “minor” to “life-threatening,” police said.

A Center for Homeland Defense and Security database counted 325 total school shootings at K-12 schools in 2024 so far. 

Former secret service agent and expert on school shootings, Cheryl Tyler, shared her thoughts on why some students resort to violence.

Tyler has studied the issue for more than two decades. She explained that school shootings don’t tend to be spur of the moment.

“As I’ve watched and looked at the ones that have happened over the past — I’ll say past five years — these are planned,” Tyler said. “And they’re young people ... There’s something going on that makes them flip to that other switch.”

Many times, Tyler said, people are pre-judged on how they are “supposed to act.” 

In this case, the alleged shooter was a female. History shows us school shooters are typically male, which brings up the question: Were warning signs possibly missed in this case, just because the shooter was female? 

According to an FBI report that evaluated school shootings from 2000 to 2019, of 345 school shooters, just 13 were females. The other 332 were males. 

Tyler said listening to young people is key.

“And we have to talk with young people, not at them, but with them,” she said.

Tyler recommended parents take time to figure out how to help their kids and then reach out.

“Parents don’t have all the answers, even though we want to act like we do. You don’t and you need help from professional people,” Tyler said.

Watch the full interview above.