Madison school shooting: Natalie Rupnow was new student, school says
Abundant Life Christian School, Madison
MADISON, Wis. - The 15-year-old Madison school shooting suspect was only in her first semester at Abundant Life Christian School but seemed to be settling in, a school official said Thursday.
Natalie Rupnow
Police said student Natalie "Samantha" Rupnow, 15, shot herself at the school and died at a Madison hospital. Police have said her motivation for the attack remains a key part of their investigation.
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This was Rupnow’s first semester at ALCS, Barbara Wiers, the school’s director for elementary and communications, told The Associated Press. The school was working with her family on attendance, but teachers had no significant concerns, she said.
"I pray for this family because right now they’ve lost a daughter and they are wounded," she said. "And they’re dealing with the fact that their daughter did this terrible thing and hurt these other people. It has to be one of the loneliest, bitterest places to be."
Madison school shooting: Teen suspect had 2 guns, police say
Madison police said the teen suspected of killing a student and teacher brought two guns into Abundant Life Christian School on Monday.
Shooting victims
The medical examiner's office has identified 14-year-old student Rubi Vergara and 42-year-old staff member Erin West. Rupnow died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Wiers said Vergara had attended the school since kindergarten. West worked as a substitute teacher for three years before accepting a position as the school's substitute coordinator and an in-building substitute teacher.
COMPLETE COVERAGE: Follow the latest from FOX6 News on the Madison school shooting
Four other people were wounded; two remain in critical condition, while two have been released from the hospital.
Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school that offers prekindergarten classes through high school. About 420 students attend the institution.
Community responds
Wiers said the attack lasted eight minutes – shorter than the school’s regular snack break. She said the community’s faith and connection to one another has sustained them as they struggle with the possibility that the shooter’s motive might remain undetermined.
"Are we broken right now? Yes. Are we bruised and battered? Yes," she said. "But we will laugh again, and He will turn our mourning into joy again. And we will go on."
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How to help
While the community tries to heal, United Way of Dane County has created a fund to help the school and families recover. President and CEO Renee Moe said it has raised more than $65,000 so far.
"The children and educators, they saw things they never should’ve seen. They lost lives," she said.
If you wish to support the families, you can donate through a site set up by the United Way of Dane County. You can visit the organization's website or text Help4ALCS to 40403.