Police in Wisconsin on Tuesday (December 17) were interviewing friends and family and examining the online presence of a 15-year-old girl to determine what drove her to open fire in a classroom at her private Christian school, killing a fellow student and a teacher before taking her own life.
The shooter, identified by police as Natalie Rupnow, who also went by Samantha, was a student at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital.
In one key way, the Madison attack is an outlier among U.S. school and mass shootings: Women and girls are far less likely to carry them out than male attackers. Only about 3% of all U.S. mass shootings are perpetrated by females, studies show.
"Identifying a motive is our top priority, but at this time it appears that the motive was a combination of factors," Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said at a press conference.
Barnes did not provide more detail, saying he didn't want to jeopardize the investigation.
Investigators are examining her cell phone, computer and online posts as well as looking into verifying a possible manifesto that the shooter may have left behind.
Some details of Rupnow's life have begun to emerge.
Police have confirmed the name of the street where she lived in Madison. Online records show someone named Jeffrey Rupnow lives on the same street, and a Facebook profile belonging to a Jeff Rupnow in Madison shows photos of a newborn daughter named Natalie Lynn from 2009, 15 years ago.
Jeff Rupnow's cover photo, posted in August, shows what appears to be a teenaged girl trap shooting with a shotgun at a local club. In a comment on the site, Jeff Rupnow says he and his child joined the club in the spring and "have been loving all every second of it."
Rupnow could not be reached for comment. In the photo, the girl is wearing a T-shirt of the German band KMFDM. The teenaged shooters in the 1999 Columbine school massacre in Colorado were known to be avid fans of the band, and one of the killers posted the band's lyrics on his website.
At the time, KMFDM issued a statement condemning the attack, expressing sympathy for the victims and affirming its music was intended to stand against violence.
Monday's shooting took place in a study hall classroom just before 11 a.m. local time. Previously, Barnes said the first 911 call reporting the shooting was placed by a second grade student. On Tuesday he clarified that the call actually came from a second grade teacher.
Two students remained in critical condition, while several other victims suffered less serious injuries, officials said.
Police said Rupnow used a pistol, but have not said how it was obtained. Earlier this year, the Michigan parents of a school shooter in that state were found guilty for their role in allowing their son to have access to the gun he used to kill.
Wisconsin officials said at Tuesday's press conference that it was far too early to say if Rupnow's parents could be held legally responsible. Police Chief Barnes said that for now it appeared that such charges were not warranted.
School shootings have become a near-daily occurrence in the United States, with 322 of them this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. That is the second highest total of any year since 1966 - topped only by last year's total of 349.
Polling shows American voters favor stronger background checks on gun buyers, temporary limits on people in crisis and more safety requirements for gun storage at homes with children. Yet political leaders have largely declined to act, citing the U.S. constitutional protection for gun owners.
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard said at Tuesday's press conference that she wanted to see stricter gun laws in Wisconsin - including "Red Flag" laws that could result in guns being confiscated from at-risk people and also laws requiring the safe storage of guns in homes. She called on state and federal legislators to enact better protections.
"Part of that process is setting aside complacency and demanding change," Agard said. "Let us remember this fact: gun violence is the No. 1 killer of children in this country. That's a legacy we cannot accept."
A tsunami of up to three meters (10 feet) could hit Japan’s northeastern coast following a powerful earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.6 th...
On December 8, an official welcome ceremony was held in Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, in honor of President Ilham Aliyev of the Republic of Aze...
Tehran has protested to Washington because of the travel ban on its football team delegation as well as Iranian fans who would like to travel to the U...
On 10–11 December, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian will pay an official visit to Astana....
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a session on 10 December in New York to examine Afghanistan’s worsening human rights and humani...
Talks in Malaysia between top diplomats from Russia and the United States were described by the Russian Foreign Ministry as "substantive and frank" with both sides confirming their interest in seeking peaceful solutions to international conflicts.
A deadly mass shooting early on Monday (7 July) in Philadelphia's Grays Ferry neighbourhood left three men dead and nine others wounded, including teenagers, as more than 100 shots were fired.
Senior officials from the United States and Georgia met in Tbilisi to review bilateral relations and regional security amid ongoing diplomatic discussions.
Iran has condemned the U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations as “meaningless” after Israel’s largest strike on Iranian targets, accusing Washington of backing the attack. The planned sixth round of talks faces uncertainty amid escalating tensions.
A coup attempt by a “small group of soldiers” has been foiled in Benin after hours of gunfire struck parts of the economic capital Cotonou, officials said on Sunday.
A delayed local vote in the rural Honduran town of San Antonio de Flores has become a pivotal moment in the country’s tightest presidential contest, with both campaigns watching its results as counting stretches into a second week.
FIFA releases the 2026 World Cup schedule with match dates, venues, and key fixtures. See when host nations USA, Mexico, and Canada play and get an overview of group stage and knockout rounds.
Lava fountains shot from Hawaii’s Kīlauea volcano from dawn to dusk on Saturday, with new footage showing intensifying activity at the north vent.
McLaren’s Lando Norris became Formula One world champion for the first time in Abu Dhabi, edging Max Verstappen to the title by just two points after a tense season finale.
A tsunami of up to three meters (10 feet) could hit Japan’s northeastern coast following a powerful earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 7.6 that occurred offshore on Monday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).
Tehran has protested to Washington because of the travel ban on its football team delegation as well as Iranian fans who would like to travel to the United States for the upcoming World Cup matches in 2026.
On 10–11 December, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian will pay an official visit to Astana.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) will hold a session on 10 December in New York to examine Afghanistan’s worsening human rights and humanitarian conditions, according to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA).
Tensions between Washington and Tehran have found a new focal point regarding border control, as the Iranian government confirmed on Sunday that a fresh wave of nationals expelled from the United States is due to arrive within days.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment