A 15-year-old girl named Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha, is responsible for shooting and killing two people and injuring several others at a Christian school in Wisconsin. Court documents reveal that Natalie’s parents, Jeff and Mellissa Rupnow, had a tumultuous home life marked by divorces, custody battles, and mediation sessions to resolve disputes over Natalie’s care. Jeff and Mellissa married and divorced twice, with Natalie shuttling between their homes for therapy sessions. While they initially agreed to joint custody with Natalie living primarily with her mother, they later agreed to shared custody with equal time spent with both parents. Natalie’s parents finalized their second divorce in 2021.
The FBI detained a man named Alexander Paffendorf in California after he communicated with Natalie about plans to arm himself with explosives and target a government building. Paffendorf and Natalie discussed their plans in messages, but the details were not disclosed by the FBI. A neighbor describes Jeff Rupnow as a kind person who helped others but expressed shock at the shooting. Authorities are working to identify a motive for Natalie’s actions, with Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stating that it appears to be a combination of factors. Trish Kilpin, the director of Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety, emphasized the preventability of targeted violence and the importance of identifying warning signs and preventing similar incidents in the future.
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