By Fox News (U.S.) | Created at 2024-12-19 02:55:26 | Updated at 2024-12-19 05:45:35
3 hours ago
The teenage student and substitute teacher who were killed during the shooting at a Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday have been identified, as new details about the alleged shooter have been revealed.
The Dane County Medical Examiner shared its report with Fox News Digital, and identified 14-year-old student Rubi Patricia Vergara and 42-year-old teacher Erin M. West as the deceased victims in a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School.
The report stated that West, of Deforest, and Vergara, of Madison, were both pronounced dead at the scene and that preliminary results of the examinations confirm that both died as a result of "homicidal firearm related trauma."
The report also identified the alleged shooter as 15-year-old Natalie "Samantha" L. Rupnow, who was also pronounced dead at the scene as a result of "firearm related trauma."
MADISON, WISCONSIN, SCHOOL SHOOTING SUSPECT IDENTIFIED AS 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL
Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., following a shooting on Monday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The medical examiner said that more testing is still underway at this time.
"These deaths remain under investigation by the City of Madison Police Department and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office. No further information will be released at this time," the report read.
According to an obituary, Vergara was a freshman at Abundant Life Christian School and was described as being "an avid reader, lover of art, and singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band."
Vergara's aunt told Fox News Digital that it has been a "very hard week" for their family, and they are trying to get through her niece's funeral, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Madison.
The Madison Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that two guns were recovered from the school following the shooting. However, only one gun was allegedly used by Rupnow.
Responding officers found Rupnow with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She died on the way to a hospital.
MADISON, WISCONSIN, SCHOOL SHOOTING LEAVES 2 DEAD, 6 INJURED; JUVENILE SUSPECT DEAD
Emergency vehicles are parked outside the SSM Health clinic where parents are being reunified with children after a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., Monday. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)
During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said "identifying a motive is our top priority." He said the motive appears to be a combination of factors, but he did not elaborate any further.
"Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened," Barnes said.
Police were speaking with Rupnow’s father and other family members, who were cooperating, and searching Rupnow’s home, Barnes said. He declined to offer additional details about the shooter, partly out of respect for the family.
Police investigate as emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., where multiple injuries were reported following a shooting on Monday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
"He lost someone as well," Barnes said of Rupnow’s father. "And so we’re not going to rush the information. We’ll take our time and make sure we do our due diligence."
Barnes added that two students are still in critical condition with life-threatening injuries. A teacher and three other students were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Barnes said two of those individuals have since been released.
James and Rebekah Smith, whose 17-year-old daughter is a student at the Abundant Life Christian School, told Fox News that they know all the victims and their families.
The Smiths said their daughter wasn’t in the same class as Rupnow, the alleged shooter, or knew her well, but said that Rupnow was new to the school and had enrolled sometime during the current semester.
They added that their daughter and her group of friends said they never saw Rupnow speaking to anyone at school.
Rebekah Smith said the teacher who was killed had a daughter who was in sports with the Smiths' daughter, and they talked with the mother at the games all the time.
She added that the victim had been a long-term substitute teacher at the school and just became a full-time teacher this year.
Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom and Garrett Tenney contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
