A 15-year-old girl, identified as Natalie Rupnow, opened fire in a study hall at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, Monday, killing two people and injuring six others. According to authorities, Rupnow was in contact with a 20-year-old man in California who was planning a mass shooting and had discussed attacking a government building with a gun and explosives.
The man, a 20-year-old from Carlsbad, California, had a restraining order issued against him by a California judge under the state’s gun red flag law. The order requires him to turn in his guns and ammunition within 48 hours, unless an officer asks for them sooner due to the belief he poses an immediate danger to himself and others.
Rupnow’s victims were identified as 14-year-old student Rubi Patricia Vergara and 42-year-old teacher Erin M. West. Vergara was a freshman and was described as an avid reader, lover of art, and singer who played the keyboard in her family’s worship band. West had been a substitute teacher for three years before accepting a position as the school’s substitute coordinator and in-building substitute teacher.
Rupnow was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and died on the way to the hospital. Authorities have not yet identified a motive for the shooting, but Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated that it appears to be a combination of factors.
The shooting has sent shockwaves through the community, with many expressing their condolences to the families of the victims. A funeral for Vergara is scheduled for Saturday at 11 a.m. in Madison.
