Teacher, student killed in Wisconsin school shooting identified

Dec 19, 2024

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Brock Koller (Senior Producer), Shea Taylor (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

Authorities identified the teacher and student killed during a shooting inside a Madison, Wisconsin, school earlier this week. The medical examiner released their names late Wednesday, Dec. 18, a day after a vigil was held for the victims.

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The two victims, 42-year-old Erin M. West and 14-year-old Rubi P. Vergara were pronounced dead at the scene.

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Police said the suspected shooter, 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, opened fire in a classroom at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday morning, Dec. 16. She killed two and injured six others before turning the weapon on herself, police said.

Two students remain hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. Four others, identified as three students and a teacher, were released from the hospital.

As the investigation continues, authorities said they recovered two guns at the school, but only one was used during the shooting. They said the motive appears to be a combination of factors.

Tags: School Shooting, Wisconsin

[karah rucker]

WE NOW KNOW THE IDENTITIES OF THE TEACHER AND STUDENT KILLED DURING A SHOOTING INSIDE A MADISON, WISCONSIN SCHOOL EARLIER THIS WEEK.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER RELEASED THEIR NAMES LATE WEDNESDAY EVENING – A DAY AFTER A VIGIL WAS HELD FOR THE VICTIMS.

THEY ARE IDENTIFIED AS 42-YEAR-OLD ERIN M. WEST AND 14-YEAR-OLD RUBI P. VERGARA.

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS BOTH WERE PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE.

(scene video https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/WisconsinpolicegoquietfollowingMadisonschoolshooting/a848d7e32a524faca4d5ec14635b1b82/video?Query=wisconsin%20shooting&mediaType=video&sortBy=arrivaldatetime:desc&dateRange=Anytime&totalCount=254¤tItemNo=0)

POLICE SAY THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER — 15-YEAR-OLD NATALIE “SAMANTHA” RUPNOW, — OPENED FIRE IN A CLASSROOM AT ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ON MONDAY MORNING, KILLING TWO AND INJURING SIX OTHERS. POLICE SAY SHE THEN TURNED THE WEAPON ON HERSELF.

TWO STUDENTS REMAIN HOSPITALIZED WITH LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES.

FOUR OTHERS – IDENTIFIED AS THREE STUDENTS AND A TEACHER – HAVE BEEN RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.

AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES — AUTHORITIES SAY THEY RECOVERED TWO GUNS AT THE SCHOOL — WITH ONLY ONE BEING USED DURING THE SHOOTING. THEY SAY A MOTIVE APPEARS TO BE A COMBINATION OF FACTORS.