A man from Wisconsin is now facing legal charges for a tragic school shooting perpetrated by his daughter, as parents across the United States are increasingly being held accountable in similar cases where children have committed acts of violence. Prosecutors argue that culpability extends beyond the immediate shooter when there is sufficient evidence that a parent played a role in the circumstances leading up to the violence.
Jeffrey Rupnow has been accused of intentionally providing a dangerous weapon to a minor, resulting in fatal consequences. His daughter, Natalie Rupnow, who was 15 at the time, fatally shot a student and a teacher at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, before taking her own life. Despite his lawyer’s objections, Rupnow’s bond was set at $20,000 last Friday. This case has sparked comparisons to other incidents where parental responsibility has been questioned and prosecuted.
In a prominent case, Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first U.S. parents to be criminally held liable for a mass school shooting carried out by their child. They are currently serving 10-year prison sentences for involuntary manslaughter. Their son, Ethan Crumbley, killed four students and injured several others at Oxford High School in Michigan back in 2021. On the day of the shooting, the school had informed the Crumbleys about Ethan’s violent drawings but they refused to take him home or inspect his heavy backpack, which concealed a firearm. Though unaware of any specific plans, they had gifted him a gun days before the tragic event.
Similarly, Robert Crimo Jr. admitted guilt to misdemeanor charges after signing off on his son’s gun permit application in Illinois, knowing that Robert Crimo III had previously shown suicidal tendencies. Three years later, Crimo III went on to kill seven people during a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park, a suburb near Chicago. This act of recklessness resulted in Crimo Jr. receiving a 60-day jail sentence, while his son will spend life in prison after confessing to murder earlier this year.
Another tragic incident unfolded in Georgia where Colin Gray is currently awaiting trial for second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges. His son, Colt Gray, is accused of using an assault-style weapon at Apalachee High School, leading to the deaths of two students and two teachers. It was revealed that Colin Gray had gifted this firearm to his son, despite being aware of his deteriorating mental health, and that Colt admired the infamous Parkland shooter.
In Newport News, Virginia, Deja Taylor faced both state and federal prosecution after her six-year-old son brought her gun to school and shot a teacher in 2023. She received a 21-month federal prison sentence for a drug-related offense involving a firearm, and an additional two-year state prison sentence for child neglect. Taylor publicly accepted responsibility due to her son’s age and inability to do so himself, expressing her willingness to be accountable as a parent.
Abigail Zwerner, the teacher who was injured in the Virginia shooting, later recounted the terrifying experience, describing how she was uncertain whether she would survive the encounter.