Family pay tribute to girl who was shot dead after female classmate opened fire at school in Wisconsin
19 December 2024, 11:48
A teenage girl and a teacher who were killed in a school shooting have been identified, with tributes flooding in for the victims.
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15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, shot students and teachers at the Abundant Life Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin on Monday.
A student and teacher were killed in the rampage, before Rupnow shot herself.
She was pronounced dead in an ambulance on the way to the hospital, police said.
In addition, six people were injured as chaos erupted in the classroom where mixed-grade students were studying just days before Christmas.
Now the pupil who was killed has been identified as Rubi Patricia Vergara, 14, of Madison, in an obituary which was shared on Wednesday.
She was a freshman at the school, and loved to make art, sing and play keyboard in the family worship band, her obituary stated.
The tribute added that she had a special bond with her beloved pets, Ginger the cat, and Coco the dog.
The funeral will take place on Sunday in Madison, and the family have requested that donations be made to the school, instead of flower offerings.
As of Wednesday evening, the Associated Press has been unable to reach the girl's family by phone and email.
In an interview on Wednesday, the city's police chief said that the shooter had carried two handguns, but only one was used in the attack.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said: "We may never know what she was thinking that day, but we'll do our best to try to add or give as much information to our public as possible."
The Dane County medical examiner identified the teacher who was killed as 42-year-old Michelle E. West on Wednesday evening.
Barnes released the name of the shooter - Natalie Samantha Rupnow - hours after the shooting on Monday.
He said the medical examiner would release the names of those killed, yet the state's crime victims privacy law would prevent the release of the names of those injured.
With the assistance of the FBI, police were scouring online records and other resources and speaking with her parents and classmates, to try and understand whether there was a motive for the shooting.
Yet the chief concluded that police are not sure if anyone was targeted in the attack, or if it was planned in advance.
Barnes said: "I do not know if she planned it that day or if she planned it a week prior.
"To me, bringing a gun to school to hurt people is planning. And so we don't know what the premeditation is."
While Rupnow had two handguns, Barnes said he does not know how she got hold of them and refused to say who bought them, due to the continuing investigation.
There have been no decisions made regarding whether Rupnow's parents might be charged regarding the shooting, but they have been cooperating, Barnes said.
Online court records show no criminal cases against her father, Jeffrey Rupnow, or her mother, Mellissa Rupnow.
The pair are divorced but have shared custody of their daughter, although she mainly lived with her father, court documents stated.
On Wednesday Barnes defended the police department's handling of information regarding the shooting as it has moved from a crisis response to the investigation phase.
Barnes said: "We've been trying to be as transparent as possible to give as much information as we can during the critical phase of this incident.
"Now we're in the investigative phase. And so the information may not be as forthcoming."
