MADISON, Wis. — Authorities have revealed that the 15-year-old shooter behind the tragic incident at Abundant Life Christian School, which resulted in the deaths of a student and a teacher, arrived at the school armed with two guns. Investigations indicate that the shooter was communicating with a man in California, believed to be planning an attack on a government facility. This information was disclosed in court documents made public on Wednesday.
Police continued their search for a motive following Monday’s shooting, where the shooter not only killed a fellow student and a teacher but also shot herself. As stated by Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, the condition of two other injured students remains critical. “While we may not fully comprehend her state of mind on that day, we will strive to provide our community with as much information as possible,” he mentioned.
In related developments, a California judge imposed a restraining order on a 20-year-old man from Carlsbad under the state’s gun red flag legislation. This order mandates that he relinquish his firearms and ammunition to law enforcement within a span of 48 hours unless an officer requests them sooner due to immediate threats he poses.
According to court records, the man allegedly informed FBI agents that he had been discussing an assault on a government building with Natalie Rupnow, the shooter from Wisconsin, involving firearms and explosives. The documents did not specify which government site was targeted or the timeline for the planned attack, although they confirmed that he and Rupnow were collaborating on a mass shooting plot.
The deceased student has been identified as 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara, a freshman at the school. An obituary described her as someone who loved reading, art, singing, and playing the keyboard in a family worship band. Attempts by the media to reach her family were unsuccessful.
The teacher identified as Erin Michelle West, 42, also perished during the incident. Initially misidentified in reports, West had been working at the school for three years after serving as a substitute teacher before becoming the substitute coordinator. Barbara Wiers, a school representative, expressed deep sorrow in an email stating, “Our hearts are heavy with these losses.”
Law enforcement, with assistance from the FBI, is investigating online records and interviewing Rupnow’s parents and peers to uncover the motivations surrounding the shooting. Chief Barnes noted that it remains unclear whether any specific individuals were targeted or if the act was premeditated prior to the incident, stating, “It’s uncertain if she plotted it that day or if this was something planned in advance.”
While Rupnow was found with two handguns, Barness indicated uncertainty regarding how she acquired them and did not offer details about the individual purchasers due to the ongoing investigation. The question of whether her parents could face charges related to the incident remains open, although they have been cooperative with authorities.
Public records reveal that neither of Rupnow’s parents has any criminal history. They are divorced and shared custody of Natalie, who predominantly lived with her father. Records from the divorce proceedings noted that Natalie was receiving therapy in 2022, but did not specify the reasons for it.
This school shooting adds to the ongoing epidemic of gun violence in schools across the United States, marking a series of tragic events that have spanned from Newtown, Connecticut, to Uvalde, Texas. Notably, incidents involving teenage female shooters are exceedingly rare, with males generally responsible for the majority of school shootings, as indicated by David Riedman, who oversees the K-12 School Shooting Database.
Abundant Life Christian School serves approximately 420 students, providing a curriculum from pre-kindergarten through high school programs.
This coverage has been amended to ensure accuracy regarding the name of the deceased teacher, Erin Michelle West, and to clarify details pertaining to the timing of the restraining order issued against the man in California.
