Funerals have been set for the student and teacher who were killed in Monday’s deadly shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
The pair were named by officials on Wednesday as Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14, and Erin West, 42.
Vergara’s funeral has been set for Saturday at City Church, which is adjacent to the school, and West’s funeral is Monday at Doxa Church in Madison, where she was a member, according to obituaries published Wednesday and Thursday.
Six others were left injured following the incident, two with life-threatening wounds, and the suspected shooter – 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow – died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It comes after California man was detained and had his guns seized after allegedly texting Rupnow about his plans to blow up a government building.
Alexander Paffendorf, 20, was issued a gun-violence restraining order and detained by FBI agents after he was accused of messaging the teenage shooter around the time of her attack.
The Carlsbad resident allegedly told Rupnow that he “would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building,” according to a two-page restraining order obtained by CBS 8. How Paffendorf and Rupnow knew each other is not immediately clear.
Key points
- Alexander Paffendorf, 20, allegedly messaged Natalie Rupnow near time of school shooting
- Californian man detained by FBI after allegdly plotting to blow up government building
- Rubi Vergara, 14, named as student killed in Abundant Life Christian School
- ‘Kind and caring’ teacher Erin Michelle West ID’d as second school victim
Funerals set for two victims of Madison school shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 21:33 , Mike BediganFunerals have been set for the student and teacher who were killed in Monday’s deadly shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin.
The pair were named by officials on Wednesday as Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14, and Erin West, 42.
Vergara’s funeral has been set for Saturday at City Church, which is adjacent to the school, and West’s funeral is Monday at Doxa Church in Madison, where she was a member, according to obituaries published Wednesday and Thursday.
Who is the suspected shooter?
Thursday 19 December 2024 21:00 , Katie Hawkinson , Josh Marcus , Mike Bedigan , Rhian LubinRupnow was encouraged by her father to practice her weapons-handling skills in the months leading up to Monday’s bloodshed, according to a review of his online activity.
In August, Jeff Rupnow - who was unable to be reached on Tuesday - posted a photograph on Facebook of what appears to be his shotgun -wielding daughter shooting clay pigeons at a local gun club.
“Is that kiddo?” a friend commented.
“Sure is!!!!” Rupnow, the father of one, replied. “We joined NBSC this spring and we have been loving all [sic] every second of it!”
In the photo on her father’s Facebook page, Natalie Rupnow is wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of the venerable German electro-industrial band KMFDM.
The top is similar to ones worn by teenage mass shooter Eric Harris, who in 1999, with classmate Dylan Klebold, shot and killed 15 students at Littleton, Colorado’s Columbine High School.
After the Columbine massacre, the members of KMFDM — which stands for Kein Mehrheit für die Mitleid, which translates to “No Pity for the Majority” — condemned the bloodshed, calling themselves “sick and appalled” by what had happened.
What to know about the man detained in California who was ‘texting’ Rupnow
Thursday 19 December 2024 20:30 , Kelly RissmanA 20-year-old man has been detained by authorities in Carlsbad, California, in connection with the deadly school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin.
According to a gun-violence restaining order issued Tuesday and obtained by CBS 8 in San Diego, FBI agents detained Alexander Paffendorf after discovering that Paffendorf had been texting 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow around the time of the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, where she opened fire, killing a student and a teacher. She took her own life, and two students are still hospitalized in critical condition.
Paffendorf was allegedly attempting to coordinate an attack at a government building in San Diego during the shooting, according to authorities. The building was not immediately identified.
Mary Papenfuss has the full story.
California man detained in alleged plot linked to Wisconsin school shooting
How Natalie Rupnow defied the typical descriptions of a school shooter
Thursday 19 December 2024 19:30 , Kelly RissmanNatalie “Samantha” Rupnow opened fire in the hallways of Abundant Life Christian School, killing herself and two others and injuring six more. The story of school shootings, sadly, is familar. But Rupnow’s age, gender and other demographic features, surprisingly, are.
The 15-year-old girl brought a handgun to the private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, Monday, killing a classmate and a teacher. Her motive and her relationship to the victims are not currently known.
The tragedy marks yet another grim statistic in American history — it is the 426th school shooting since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, a Washington Post analysis found. But Rupnow herself complicates other statistics, as she doesn’t align with what data show about school shooters.
For one, Rupnow was a girl.
Just 4 percent of all school shooters since Columbine are female; she was one of just eight female school shooters in that timeframe, according to the Post’s analysis. Research by Everytown for Gun Safety similarly showed that in 544 incidents of gunfire on school grounds since 2013, 25 were female — less than 5 percent.
Read the full story.
How Natalie Rupnow defied the typical descriptions of a school shooter
New developments on the ALCS shooter
Thursday 19 December 2024 19:00 , Kelly RissmanNatalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, carried out the shooting that left two dead and injured six others at her K-12 Christian school in Madison before shooting herself, police have said.
- She took two guns to school that morning
- She was “texting” a man in California, who has since been detained by the FBI after being issued a gun-violence restraining order
- She practiced her weapons-handling skills in August, months before Monday’s bloodshed
- Her motive is not immediately known
- It’s not immediately clear whether she targeted the victims or whether they just got caught in the violence
What do we know about Rubi Vergara, the 14-year-old student killed in Monday’s shooting?
Thursday 19 December 2024 18:30 , Rhian LubinThe student who was killed in the Wisconsin school shooting has been identified as Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14.
An obituary released Wednesday named the 14-year-old as one of the victims of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, opened fire at the Christian school, Madison Police revealed earlier this week. Figuring out the motive behind the deadly attack is a “top priority,” authorities say.
Vergara was a freshman at the school and “an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band,” according to the obituary. It added that she was an animal lover, and “shared a special bond with her beloved pets, Ginger (cat) and Coco (dog).”
ICYMI: Rupnow pictured with shotgun at firing range just months before her deadly rampage
Thursday 19 December 2024 18:00 , Kelly RissmanThe father of school shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who killed two people and wounded six others at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, encouraged the 15-year-old to practice her weapons-handling skills in the months leading up to Monday’s bloodshed, according to a review of his online activity.
In August, Jeff Rupnow - who was unable to be reached on Tuesday - posted a photograph on Facebook of what appears to be his shotgun-wielding daughter shooting clay pigeons at a local gun club.
“Is that kiddo?” a friend commented.
“Sure is!!!!” Rupnow replied. “We joined NBSC this spring and we have been loving all [sic] every second of it!”
Read the full story.
School shooter pictured with shotgun at firing range 4 months prior to deadly attack
WATCH: Madison, Wisconsin recovering after school shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 17:43 , Kelly RissmanNeighbors of Wisconsin shooter describe the block’s new sadness
Thursday 19 December 2024 17:00 , Kelly RissmanSuzy De Wilde said she and her husband moved in about four years ago and that Natalie Rupnow was a familiar face.
“Every day, I wash my dishes and I see that house,” she said. “It’s f*****g crazy that that’s where the shooter lived… Every day, I get to look at that front door now. How do you live with these reminders everywhere?”
Crime scene tape continues to surround the property, and detectives are still searching for further evidence. Her parents are reportedly cooperating with police.
“I’ve talked to a couple of [other] neighbors, and it’s just sadness,” Adam De Wilde said. “It’s just sad to think that a kid woke up in the morning and grabbed a gun and went to school, and they’re your neighbor. Everybody’s surprised. It’s a quiet neighborhood.”
Justin Rohrlich has the full story.
Neighbors of Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow talk living near killer
ICYMI: What happened at Monday’s shooting?
Thursday 19 December 2024 16:30 , Kelly RissmanA Wisconsin school community has been left traumatized after a 15-year-old female student killed a teacher and another pupil in a shooting spree on Monday morning at a Christian school.
Police named Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha Rupnow, as the young woman who they believe killed two and injured six others at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin beginning around 11 a.m.
But even survivors lucky enough to escape with their lives “won’t be okay for a long time,” said one mother. An 8-year-old student who witnessed the panic and the wounding of a teacher told CNN: “I was really scared and I was really sad.”
Rupnow was found dead at the scene, with evidence of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to police. An official cause of death has not been determined, and police have not yet determined a motive.
Read the full story.
Two dead, two critical after shooting at Wisconsin Christian school
In photos: Locals mourn the victims of the Abundant Life Christian School shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 16:00 , Kelly Rissman
WATCH: Little girl reveals horror inside Wisconsin school during shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 15:30 , Kelly RissmanWho is Alexander Paffendorf?
Thursday 19 December 2024 15:00 , Kelly RissmanThe 20-year-old was seized Tuesday night after a San Diego Superior Court Judge issued the restraining order under California’s red flag gun law.
The order, obtained by CBS 8, required Paffendorf to turn his guns and ammunition into police within 48 hours unless an officer demanded them sooner because he poses an immediate danger to himself and others.
“During an FBI interview, Paffendorf admitted to the FBI agents that he told Rupnow that he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building,” reads the two-page restraining order.
How Natalie Rupnow defied the typical descriptions of a school shooter
Thursday 19 December 2024 14:30 , Kelly RissmanNatalie “Samantha” Rupnow opened fire in the hallways of Abundant Life Christian School, killing herself and two others and injuring six more. The story of school shootings, sadly, is familar. But Rupnow’s age, gender and other demographic features, surprisingly, are.
The 15-year-old girl brought a handgun to the private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, Monday, killing a classmate and a teacher. Her motive and her relationship to the victims are not currently known.
The tragedy marks yet another grim statistic in American history — it is the 426th school shooting since the Columbine High School shooting in 1999, a Washington Post analysis found. But Rupnow herself complicates other statistics, as she doesn’t align with what data show about school shooters.
Read the full story.
How Natalie Rupnow defied the typical descriptions of a school shooter
Who are the victims?
Thursday 19 December 2024 14:08 , Rhian LubinRubi Patricia Vergara, 14, was a freshman at the school and “an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band,” according to her obituary which was shared on Wednesday evening.
It added that she was an animal lover, and “shared a special bond with her beloved pets, Ginger (cat) and Coco (dog).”
The teacher who was killed was also named on Wednesday evening as 42-year-old Erin Michelle West, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed.
West was a substitute coordinator at Abundant Life Christian School, according to the school’s staff directory.
“ALCS is a better school for the work of Erin West. She brought her love of Jesus and love of people to our staff and school family all wrapped in a hug and topped with a smile,” the school said in a statement to NBC News.
ICYMI: Rupnow joined shooting range and wore top similiar to Columbine shooter’s outfit in summer
Thursday 19 December 2024 13:33 , James LiddellNatalie Rupnow joined a shooting range just months before the 15-year-old fatally shot a teacher and fellow student at a school in Wisconsin, according to her father.
Jeff Rupnow posted a photograph of his teen daughter shooting skeet at a Dane County range on Facebook in August. He wrote in a comment that the pair had joined in spring and had been “loving… every second of it”.
Rupnow, who also went by the name “Samantha,” wore a shirt emblazoned with the logo of the venerable German electro-industrial band KMFDM.
The top is similar to one worn by teenage mass shooter Harris, who in 1999, with classmate Dylan Klebold, fatally shot 15 students at Littleton, Colorado’s Columbine High School.
ICYMI: California man detained in alleged plot linked to Wisconsin school shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 13:00 , James LiddellA 20-year-old man has been detained by authorities in Carlsbad, California, in connection with the deadly school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin.
According to a gun-violence restaining order issued Tuesday and obtained by CBS 8 in San Diego, FBI agents detained Alexander Paffendorf after discovering that Paffendorf had been texting 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow around the time of the shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, where she opened fire, killing a student and a teacher.
She took her own life, and two students are still hospitalized in critical condition.
Read more:
California man detained in alleged plot linked to Wisconsin school shooting
Natalie Rupnow brought two guns to school shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 12:33 , James LiddellNatalie Rupnow, the shooter who killed a student and teacher at a religious school in Wisconsin, brought two guns to the school, according to Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes.
The guns were both handguns, only one of which were used, he said. Police do not know how she obtained the weapons. Officers are now working alongside ATF officials to trace the origins of the weapon.
No decisions have been made about whether Rupnow’s parents might face charges, but they have been cooperating, Barnes said.
ICYMI: Teacher killed in Wisconsin school shooting identified as Erin Michelle West
Thursday 19 December 2024 12:03 , James LiddellThe teacher who was killed in the Wisconsin school shooting has been named as 42-year-old Erin Michelle West, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed on Wednesday night.
West was a substitute coordinator at Abundant Life Christian School, according to the school’s staff directory, the Journal Sentinelreported.
Earlier on Wednesday evening Rubi Vergara, 14, was named as the student who was killed in the deadly attack on Monday.
Rhian Lubin has the story.
Teacher killed in Wisconsin school shooting identified as Erin Michelle West
ICYMI: Rubi Vergara, 14, named as student gunned down in Wisconsin school shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:30 , James LiddellThe student who was killed in the Wisconsin school shooting has been identified as Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14.
An obituary released Wednesday named the 14-year-old as one of the victims of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
On Monday police identified 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow as the shooter at the Christian school, but have yet to reveal a motive following the deadly attack.
Rhian Lubin has the details.
Rubi Vergara, 14, named as student gunned down in Wisconsin school shooting
Wisconsin school sets up fundraiser to support those impacted by shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 11:00 , James LiddellThe Abundant Life Christian School has set up an emergency recovery fund in the wake of the devastating shooting which took place on school grounds on Monday.
A pop up on the school’s website, which declares that ALCS is currently closed, asks visitors to donate to support the children, families and educators affected by the attack.
Via a portal on United Way of Dane County’s website,the school asks for donations of $20, $50, $100 or “other”.
One hundred percent of proceeds go to the school, according to the fundraising page.
Californian man detained by FBI after allegdly plotting to blow up goevernment building
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:30 , James LiddellA Californian man was detained by the FBI on Tuesday after allegedly texting Natalie Rupnow about a plot to blow up a government building.
Alexander Paffendorf, 20, was issued a gun-violence restraining order and detained by federal agents after he was accused of messaging the 15-year-old shooter around the time of her attack on the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison on Monday.
He is accused of detailing a plot involving the use of exploives and firearms to attack a goverment building. The location of the alleged attack was not made clear.
Paffendorf allegedly told Rupnow that he “would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building,” according to a two-page restraining order obtained by CBS 8.
Natalie Rupnow was ‘quiet’ and seemed ‘really lonely,’ fellow student says
Thursday 19 December 2024 10:00 , James LiddellNatalie Rupnow, the 15-year-old who opened fire on people inside the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, seemed “quiet” and “really lonely,” a fellow student said.
Mackynzie Wilson, a sophomore at the school who had a locker next to Rupnow, said the teen appeared to be a lone wolf.
“She was really quiet. She didn’t really have any friends, and she just seemed really lonely,” Wilson told CNN.
“It wasn’t like she was trying to fit in. She seemed very content being alone.”
How did the shooting take place?
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:30 , James LiddellThe shooting took place inside of a study hall room where students of multiple grades were present.
A second-grade teacher was the one who called 911 and alerted police to the shooting.
Officers arrived at the school about three minutes after the 911 call and immediately entered the school.
‘She was a really good person’: Seventh-grade student laments loss of slain teacher
Thursday 19 December 2024 09:00 , James LiddellA seventh-grader from Abundant Life Christian School described the slain teacher as a “kind and caring” person.
Teacher Erin Michelle West, 42, was identified on Wednesday evening as one the victims who died on Monday.
Angel Brube, who was inside the Madison, Wisconsin, school at the time of the shooting said on Tuesday that he had been taught by the slain teacher, without specifically naming her, “many times before”.
“The teacher, yes I did know her. And she was a really good person,” he told CNN.
“She was always very kind and caring and she was always very friendly and communicative.”
Parents praise ‘tightknit’ school for its ‘welcoming’ environment
Thursday 19 December 2024 08:32 , James LiddellAs they reel from Monday’s shooting, parents whose children are enrolled at the Abundant Life Christian School have praised it for fostering a “tightknit” environment.
“We’re all a family, and we all know each other, whether they’re in the same grade or not,” Karl Gottschalk, who has three children enrolled at the school, told the New York Times. “It’s never been a concern that something like this would happen since this is such a small, religious school.”
“It’s a very tightknit community with not only excellent academics, but our love for Jesus and trust in God is the foundation,” Hannah Lease, whose two sons attend the school, told the outlet. “That’s what keeps us going during this time.”
Nick Cardarella, whose wife works at the school, added: “It’s come as you are. There is that religious element, but they’re not pushy in any kind of way.”
“It’s starting to be a big school, but we feel very connected,” Michelet Jean-Charles, who moved to Wisconsin from Haiti, said. “We feel that we can trust everyone at the school — the kids, their parents. We give hugs, we shake hands.”
What we know about the victims
Thursday 19 December 2024 08:00 , Rhian LubinTeacher Erin West, 42, and student Rubi Vergara, 14, have been named as the victims who were killed after 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow opened fire.
The teenager also died during the incident from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound.
As tributes continue to come in for the pair, read what we do know about the victims so far.
Madison school shooter pictured with shotgun at firing range just months before deadly rampage
Thursday 19 December 2024 07:00 , Justin RohrlichThe father of school shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who killed two people and wounded six others at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, encouraged the 15-year-old to practice her weapons-handling skills in the months leading up to Monday’s bloodshed, according to a review of his online activity.
In August, Jeff Rupnow - who was unable to be reached on Tuesday - posted a photograph on Facebook of what appears to be his shotgun-wielding daughter shooting clay pigeons at a local gun club.
“Is that kiddo?” a friend commented.
“Sure is!!!!” Rupnow replied. “We joined NBSC this spring and we have been loving all [sic] every second of it!”
The North Bristol Sportsman’s Club, or NBSC, is located in Sun Prairie, a suburb of 35,000 roughly 20 miles northeast of Madison. Individual memberships cost $75 yearly, and family memberships go for $90, plus an annual rifle/pistol range premium of $25. The NBSC youth program welcomes kids as young as 9, according to the club’s website.
Read the full story.
School shooter pictured with shotgun at firing range 4 months prior to deadly attack
WATCH: Little girl reveals horror inside Wisconsin school during shooting
Thursday 19 December 2024 05:45 , Rhian LubinPoignant tribute paid to Rubi Vergara
Thursday 19 December 2024 04:49 , Rhian LubinThe family of the student who was killed in the shooting shared a poignant tribute to her this evening.
In an obituary,14-year-old Rubi Vergara was described as a talented musician who cared for animals.
“She was an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band,” the obituary read. “She shared a special bond with her beloved pets, Ginger (cat) and Coco (dog).”
Her funeral will take place on Saturday.
Read more below.
California judge issues restraining order against 20-year-old man
Thursday 19 December 2024 04:21 , Rhian LubinA California judge issued a restraining order Tuesday under California’s gun red flag law against a 20-year-old Carlsbad man.
The order requires the man to turn his guns and ammunition into police within 48 hours unless an officer asks for them sooner because he poses an immediate danger to himself and others. According to the order, the man told FBI agents that he had been messaging Natalie Rupnow, the Wisconsin shooter, about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives.
The order doesn’t say what building he had targeted or when he planned to launch his attack.
It also doesn’t detail his interactions with Rupnow except to state that the man was plotting a mass shooting with her.
California man ‘had been texting Natalie Rupnow’ - reports
Thursday 19 December 2024 03:45 , Rhian Lubin, Mary PapenfussAccording to a gun violence restraining order issued Tuesday and obtained by CBS 8 in San Diego, FBI agents detained Alexander Paffendorf after discovering that Paffendorf had been texting 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow around the time of the shooting when she opened fire at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, killing a student and a teacher.
Paffendorf was allegedly attempting to coordinate an attack at a government building in San Diego during the shooting. The building was not immediately identified.
“During an FBI interview, Paffendorf admitted to the FBI agents that he told Rupnow that he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building,” reads the two-page restraining orde, CBS 8 reported.
Paffendorf was seized Tuesday night after a San Diego Superior Court Judge approved the restraining order against him
Neigbors told CBS 8 that some 12 police cars descended on the housing complex where Paffendorf lives.
“They had their full guns out all over the street,” neighbor Alex Gallegos told CBS 8. “There were cop cars. I’d say about 15 cops here.”
Both the Madison Police Department and FBI San Diego declined to comment when approached by The Independent.
Madison police share statement following identification of victims
Thursday 19 December 2024 03:28 , Rhian LubinThe Madison Police Department has shared a statement following the identification of the two victims of the shooting.
Rubi Vergara, 14, was named in an obituary on Wednesday evening and Erin West, 42, was named by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“Our department is committed to transparency and will continue to release information that can be used to improve public safety,” the statement said.
“This must be balanced, however, with our commitment to the victims and survivors of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. Two people died and six others were injured during this shooting. Additionally, evidence suggests the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“This incident has now entered the investigation phase, and the information we can release is limited. This phase takes time. We recognize people have questions, and we will answer them in due time. Until then we ask you keep the victims and survivors in mind and respect their right to privacy.”
BREAKING: Man, 20, detained in California ‘in connection to Madison school shooting' - reports
Thursday 19 December 2024 03:15 , Rhian LubinA 20-year-old man in California has been detained “in connection to the Madison school shooting”, according to a report by CBS 8.
According to the report, the man from Carlsbad, near San Diego, was in contact with Natalie Rupnow and “coordinating an attack at a local government building.”
Madison Police Department directed The Independent to the FBI when contacted for further information.
The Independent has contacted the FBI in San Diego.
Only a few school shooters are women
Thursday 19 December 2024 03:00 , Kelly RissmanThe 15-year-old, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday morning, is one of the few female perpetrators of school shootings in recent decades after a teacher and student were gunned down in the attack on the Madison school.
Gunmen commit the overwhelming majority of such attacks and, including the Madison shooting, just nine female students have carried out a school shooting since 1999, according to a Washington Post database.
Data from advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety finds that women constitute less than five percent of assailants across 544 school shooting incidents over the past 11 years.
Of the 197 shooting incidents in the Violence Prevention Project databaseof mass shootings since 1966, 192 of the shooters were male, four were female, and one was transgender. White men made up the majority of perpetrators, according to the database.
Read the full story.
Wisconsin teen Natalie Rupnow joins a rare subset of school shooters: women
School will remain closed until after the Christmas break
Thursday 19 December 2024 02:45 , Rhian LubinCharles Moore, the leader of Madison Christian schools, confirmed that the school would remain closed until after the Christmas break.
Moore told the Journal Sentinel at a vigil on Tuesday night that the community was in complete shock.
“It’s hard to comprehend the shock,” Moore said. “There are still some very, very injured children in the hospital. It doesn’t end on the first day, in the first couple of minutes. Lives have been torn apart.”
Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office release further information about deaths
Thursday 19 December 2024 02:37 , Rhian LubinWest and Vergara were both pronounced dead at the scene, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office said.
The office confirmed to The Independent that West and Vergara died due to homicidal firearm-related trauma.
Their deaths remain under investigation by the Madison Police Department and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
BREAKING: Teacher killed in shooting named as Erin Michelle West
Thursday 19 December 2024 02:02 , Rhian LubinThe teacher who was killed in the Wisconsin school shooting has been named as Erin Michelle West, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to The Independent on Wednesday night.
Vergara’s aunt pays tribute to teen victim
Thursday 19 December 2024 01:16 , Rhian LubinRubi Vergara’s aunt, Stacy Remus, paid tribute to the student on Facebook.
“Friends and family... here it is. This is our beautiful Rubi Vergara, our niece who was killed in Monday’s school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison,” Remus wrote.
“We are grateful for our friends, family and Bluff View Church family for your support during this hard time. And by the way .... Jesus is Still on the Throne and God is Good. Rubi, there are very few words to express how our hearts are broken, we love you and miss you.”
The student’s funeral will take place this Saturday, according to the obituary.
Pictured: Student who was killed named as Rubi Vergara
Thursday 19 December 2024 01:01 , Rhian LubinBREAKING: Student who was killed in shooting named
Thursday 19 December 2024 00:53 , Rhian LubinThe student who was killed in the school shooting in Madison, Wisconsin, has been identified as Rubi Patricia Vergara.
An obituary released on Wednesday named the 14-year-old as one of the victims of the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday, the Associated Press reported.
The name of the teacher who also died has not been released.
Vergara was a freshman at the school and “an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band,” according to the obituary.
In photos: Vigils held for Abundant Life Christian School shooting victims
Thursday 19 December 2024 00:00 , Kelly Rissman
WATCH: Wisconsin Police Department offer condolences to victim's families after school shooting
Wednesday 18 December 2024 23:30 , Kelly RissmanPolice and ATF look into history of handgun used in attack
Wednesday 18 December 2024 23:00 , James LiddellInvestigators are working alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to track down the origin of the weapon believed to have been used by school shooter, Natalie Rupnow.
Police have said the 15-year-old shooter used a handgun to carry out the attack. Its history is now being traced by the ATF, Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes told CNN on Tuesday.
It is not yet clear who the gun belonged to or where it originated.
“We have asked our partners with the ATF to expedite what’s called an ATF trace form to try and determine the origin of that weapon, who purchased it and how it got from a manufacturer all the way to the hands of a 15-year-old girl,” he said.
“These are questions that are going to take some time to answer.”
Neighbors of Wisconsin shooter describe the block’s new sadness
Wednesday 18 December 2024 22:30 , Kelly RissmanNeighbor Suzy De Wilde said she and her husband moved in about four years ago and that she regularly saw Natalie Rupnow hanging out in the park next to their property.
“Every day, I wash my dishes and I see that house,” she said. “It’s f*****g crazy that that’s where the shooter lived… Every day, I get to look at that front door now. How do you live with these reminders everywhere?”
Justin Rohrlich has the exclusive story.
Neighbors of Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow talk living near killer
Recap: Who are the victims?
Wednesday 18 December 2024 22:00 , Mike BediganAs of Tuesday morning, the only information to be officially released by police was that one was a student and one was a teacher.
Madison Police Department Chief Shon Barnes said authorities “don’t know” whether the pair were singled out by Rupnow, or whether they were simply caught up in the violence, adding that the shooter’s motivation may have been a “combination of factors.”
The shooting took place inside a study hall room where students of multiple grades were present.
Terrified little boy reveals horror of Wisconsin school shooting
Wednesday 18 December 2024 21:30 , Kelly RissmanSome of Abundant Life Christian School students who survived the attack have spoken out about the terrifying ordeal, with one little boy simply asking: “Why?”
Adler Jean-Charles, a sixth-grader at the school, was in an English lesson when gunshots rang out. The class of 11- and 12-year-olds were chaperoned to the side of the school after being told they were undergoing a lockdown drill.
“We heard them. And some people started crying,” Jean-Charles said in an interview with CNN on Monday. “And then we just waited until the police came and they escorted us out to the church.”
He added: “I was scared and [thinking], ‘Why did they do that? Why?’”
James Liddell has the full story.
Terrified little boy reveals horror of Wisconsin school shooting
What we know about Rupnow’s ‘turbulent’ home life
Wednesday 18 December 2024 21:00 , Katie Hawkinson , Josh Marcus , Mike Bedigan , Rhian LubinCourt documents show that Rupnow had a “turbulent” home life, according to the Washington Post.
Natalie Rupnow’s parents, Melissa and Jeff Rupnow, reportedly divorced and remarried multiple times. Their daughter enrolled in therapy to guide her through their custody arrangements, according to the newspaper.
The paper reported that the documents point “to an unsettled childhood for Rupnow, whose parents’ custody agreements sometimes forced her to move between their homes every two or three days.”
They reportedly divorced for the first time in 2014 and agreed to joint legal custody of their daughter. It was agreed that she would primarily live with her mother.
They remarried in 2017 and divorced for a second time in 2020. They were to divide custody of Natalie evenly, the court records reportedly show.
After they split up for the second time, they briefly remarried again. By April 2021, they were petitioning for a third divorce, the Post reports.
The Post was unable to reach Melissa Rupnow or Jeff Rupnow, who are both reported to be cooperating with police.
The teen’s father was speaking with police Monday evening, in what Barnes called a “long conversation.”
“We have no reason to believe they have committed a crime at this time,” Barnes said on Monday of the family.
The chief urged the public to disregard fast-moving, unverified online speculation that the shooter was transgender.
“I dont think that whatever happened today has anything to do with how she, or he, or they may have wanted to identify,” Chief Barnes said. “I wish people would kind of leave their own personal biases out of this. We have people who have yet another school shooting in Madison. That’s where my focus will be for the very near future.”
Star Wars actor shares heartbreaking headline in response to Wisconsin school shooting
Wednesday 18 December 2024 20:30 , Kelly RissmanStar Wars actor Mark Hamill has shared a heartbroken and evergreen headline after the United States was rocked by another school shooting, which has left three people dead.
A 15-year-old girl, who police identified as Natalie Rupnow, killed a teacher and fellow student after opening fire at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin. Rupnow was also pronounced dead at the scene, Department Chief Shon Barnes said.
Six others have been left injured, including two left in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. At the time of writing, Rupnow’s motives remain unclear.
Read the full story.
Star Wars actor shares heartbreaking headline in response to Wisconsin shooting
WATCH: Little girl reveals horror inside Wisconsin school during shooting
Wednesday 18 December 2024 20:00 , Kelly RissmanICYMI: What happened at the Madison school shooting?
Wednesday 18 December 2024 19:21 , Kelly RissmanA Wisconsin school community has been left traumatized after a 15-year-old female student killed a teacher and another pupil in a shooting spree on Monday morning at a Christian school.
Police named Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha Rupnow, as the young woman who they believe killed two and injured six others at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin beginning around 11 a.m.
But even survivors lucky enough to escape with their lives “won’t be okay for a long time,” said one mother. An 8-year-old student who witnessed the panic and the wounding of a teacher told CNN: “I was really scared and I was really sad.”
Rupnow was found dead at the scene, with evidence of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to police. An official cause of death has not been determined, and police have not yet determined a motive.
Read the full story.
Two dead, two critical after shooting at Wisconsin Christian school
In pictures: Supporters at a candlelit vigil in Madison, Wisconsin
Wednesday 18 December 2024 17:45 , Mike Bedigan
Republican rep with family at Madison school says they are doing ‘fine’ following shooting
Wednesday 18 December 2024 17:15 , Mike BediganA Republican representative whose great niece and nephew were present at the Abundant Life Christian School during Monday’s shooting says both children are doing “fine” following the horrific incident.
Assemblyman Jerry L. O’Connor told CNN’s John Berman that his great nephew “could hear bodies hitting the floor” and his great niece had heard gunshots from accross the hall.
Asked how the youngsters were doing, O’Connor said: “They're doing fine. I think it's going to be a little bit of time as they reflect back on what happened. My nephew could hear bodies hitting the floor. My great niece across the hall could hear gunshots.
“And as I understand it there were nine people in the room and the shooter shot eight of them... So it's a terribly sad situation. I also have a brother-in-law that's a basketball and golf coach there, and I have a brother whose brother-in-law is the school principal.
“So I have a lot of connections to this school and there are a lot of hurting families in that Madison area today.”
Therapy dogs attend vigil for Madison school shooting victims
Wednesday 18 December 2024 16:45 , Mike BediganTherapy dogs at the vigil for the victims of the Abundant Life Christian Church School shooting in downtown Madison, Wisconsin.
— Mills Hayes (@MillsHayesTV) December 18, 2024
December 17, 2024. pic.twitter.com/0SDo6gQHvT
No update from police expected today
Wednesday 18 December 2024 16:15 , Mike BediganA spokesperson from the Madison Police Department confirmed to The Independent that, at this time, there is no police press conference scheduled for Wednesday.
Police plan to hold a press conference any time there is a significant update to share, but there were “no significant updates at this time,” the spokesperson said.
“We will announce if something comes to pass that would warrant an update,” they added.
Neighbors of Wisconsin shooter describe the block’s new sadness
Wednesday 18 December 2024 15:45 , James LiddellAdam De Wilde was taking out the trash at around 12:30 p.m. Monday when he noticed something unusual.
Some 90 minutes earlier, a student at the Abundant Life Christian School — roughly eight miles away from the tidy 3-bedroom home he and his wife share in Madison, Wisconsin’s Sherman Village section — had fatally gunned down a classmate and a teacher, and wounded six others.
But De Wilde did not yet realize that his neighbor, 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who would not be identified publicly by police for another several hours, was the person responsible for the unthinkable bloodshed.
“I saw that there were a bunch of cop cars, probably between eight and 12 vehicles, which is not normal for this neighborhood,” De Wilde told The Independent. “... You rarely see a single cop car driving down the street [around here] with its lights on.”
Justin Rohrlich has the exclusive story.
Neighbors of Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow talk living near killer
Who is the suspected shooter?
Wednesday 18 December 2024 15:15 , Katie Hawkinson , Josh Marcus , Mike Bedigan , Rhian LubinRupnow was encouraged by her father to practice her weapons-handling skills in the months leading up to Monday’s bloodshed, according to a review of his online activity.
In August, Jeff Rupnow - who was unable to be reached on Tuesday - posted a photograph on Facebook of what appears to be his shotgun -wielding daughter shooting clay pigeons at a local gun club.
“Is that kiddo?” a friend commented.
“Sure is!!!!” Rupnow, the father of one, replied. “We joined NBSC this spring and we have been loving all [sic] every second of it!”
In the photo on her father’s Facebook page, Natalie Rupnow is wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the logo of the venerable German electro-industrial band KMFDM.
The top is similar to ones worn by teenage mass shooter Eric Harris, who in 1999, with classmate Dylan Klebold, shot and killed 15 students at Littleton, Colorado’s Columbine High School.
After the Columbine massacre, the members of KMFDM — which stands for Kein Mehrheit für die Mitleid, which translates to “No Pity for the Majority” — condemned the bloodshed, calling themselves “sick and appalled” by what had happened.
Madison schools targeted by ‘false threats’
Wednesday 18 December 2024 14:45 , James LiddellSeveral schools in the Madison Metropolitan School District were targeted by false threats on Tuesday, police said
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes told reporters that police are investigating the “false threats often known as swatting”. Police do not believe there are any current threats to schools in the district.
“Making false threats is a crime, and we are working with the district attorney,” he added.
Madison Fire Department adopted active shooter response program before Monday’s attack
Wednesday 18 December 2024 14:15 , James LiddellMadison Fire Department officials were some of the first people on the scene upon authorities receiving a call of an active shooter at the Abundant Life Christian School on Monday.
Fire Chief Dan Williams helped lead the department’s response efforts on Monday and adopted a program called Active Shooting Incident Management before the attack.
Reflecting on a time before the shooting, before adopting the ASIM program, Williams told News 3 Now on Tuesday: “Jheez, this could happen in Madison. How could we be prepared?”
Madison added that he was proud in “seeing everyone integrated, seeing everyone with a task and assignment, and really performing exceptionally.”
Abundant Life Christian School thanks Madison community
Wednesday 18 December 2024 13:45 , James LiddellThe Abundant Life Christian School has given thanks to the local Madison community following a vigil held on Tuesday evening for those killed and injured during the shooting on the school’s grounds.
“Thank you to everyone in the Madison community who came out to support ALCS at the vigil downtown. We are most grateful for all the support!,” the school said on Wednesday morning on Facebook.
“Likewise, we were overwhelmed by the showing of support tonight at City Church’s Mourning Prayer Service. It is humbling to feel so much love and support.”
