Official reports or announcements from the Madison Police Department or FBI

Wisconsin School Shooting by Natalie Rupnow Kills Erin West, Rubi Vergara; Linked to California Man's Plot

Dec 19, 2024, 04:51 AM

A 15-year-old student, Natalie 'Samantha' Rupnow, carried out a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, resulting in the deaths of a teacher, Erin Michelle West, aged 42, and a student, Rubi Patricia Vergara, aged 14. The incident also left six others injured, with two students in critical condition. Rupnow used one of two handguns she brought to the school and subsequently died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Madison Police Department, led by Chief Shon Barnes, is investigating the motive behind the attack, with assistance from the FBI. They are reviewing online records and interviewing Rupnow's parents and classmates. No decisions have been made regarding potential charges against Rupnow's parents, who have been cooperative. The shooting has drawn attention due to its rarity, as school shootings by teenage females are uncommon in the U.S. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old man from Carlsbad, California, Alexander Paffendorf, was detained after allegedly communicating with Rupnow about a coordinated attack on a government building. A restraining order was issued against him under California's gun red flag law.