Crime
Nora Gottschalk, an 8-year-old Abundant Life Christian School student described the shooting
An 8-year-old student, Nora Gottschalk, described the terrifying moments she experienced during the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
“I was getting ready for lunch, so it was basically lunchtime, and then I just heard shooting,” Nora recounted. “And then there was a teacher, and she was screaming like, ‘Ahh, my leg! Help! Help!’”
Nora confirmed she knew the teacher who was calling out for help, adding, “I was really scared, and I was really sad.”
Other students shared similar accounts of the chaos that unfolded inside the building as gunfire and screams filled the halls before law enforcement arrived to evacuate them.
“I heard gunshots and screaming, and it was all really scary,” one student told at the reunification site, where families were brought back together following the incident.
The shooting triggered an immediate lockdown, with students quickly being notified that “this is not a drill.” Many students, fearful and uncertain, turned to technology to maintain contact with their families during the ordeal.
“I was texting her on my watch,” one student shared, referring to communication with their mother.
Parents, anxiously awaiting news, expressed immense relief when they were able to reunite with their children.
“There’s no better feeling than knowing your kids are safe,” said one mother tearfully after embracing her child.
The students’ firsthand accounts highlight the fear and trauma experienced during Monday’s tragedy as the community continues to process the devastating events.
Crime
16-year-old Khyon Smith-Tate found shot to death inside Chipotle bathroom on edge of Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — A 16-year-old boy was fatally shot inside the bathroom of a Chipotle restaurant near Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia on Monday afternoon, police said, as students and staff returned for the first day of the Spring 2026 semester.
The shooting occurred at approximately 5:00 p.m. inside the Chipotle located in the 1100 block of West Montgomery Avenue, on the ground floor of The View at Montgomery apartment complex. The building is situated near Temple University’s Student Center and TECH Center.
Police later identified the victim as Khyon Smith-Tate, a North Philadelphia resident. Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said Smith-Tate was found with a gunshot wound to the chest and was pronounced dead at 5:24 p.m.
Temple University President John Fry and Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police Jennifer Griffin issued a joint statement following the incident:
“The loss of life to gun violence is a profound tragedy, and there are no words that can make sense of it. Our thoughts are with the victim’s family and loved ones.”
According to investigators, Smith-Tate and another minor entered the restaurant and requested access to the restroom. Chief Inspector Small said the shooting is believed to have occurred inside the bathroom.
Moments later, employees discovered Smith-Tate suffering from a gunshot wound. Police recovered one spent shell casing from a semiautomatic weapon inside the restroom.
Although the victim’s last known address was approximately eight blocks from the scene, authorities have not indicated what brought him to the location or what led to the shooting.
At the time of the incident, the restaurant was crowded, and multiple individuals inside the business were detained briefly for questioning. However, police said they have not yet obtained any statements from witnesses who reported hearing a gunshot.
A person of interest was taken into custody several blocks from the scene shortly after the shooting, but Chief Inspector Small said that individual’s involvement remains unclear.
As of Tuesday, police confirmed that no arrests have been made and no motive has been established.
Investigators believe Smith-Tate entered the restroom with another minor, though the whereabouts of that individual remain unknown.
Police are also seeking information about three possible suspects, described as teenagers carrying backpacks.
Chief Inspector Small noted that the area is equipped with numerous surveillance cameras, which detectives are reviewing as part of the ongoing investigation.
Authorities are asking anyone with information related to the incident to contact the Philadelphia Police Department.