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MADISON, WI (WSAU-WAOW) – To honor the victims of the shooting at a Christian school earlier this week, the Madison community gathered for multiple candlelight vigils on Tuesday night while police continue to investigate what led the shooter to carry out the attack.
One of the vigils was held next door to Abundant Life Christian School, while hundreds of people attended another vigil outside the Wisconsin State Capitol. Speakers and singers, including local community leaders like Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent Joe Gothard, attended to show their support.
Jackson Ida, a junior at Monona Grove High School, spoke about the shooting saying, “It’s important that we remain strong and unified and continue to show that we care. I don’t personally know anyone who was hurt or injured, but I know as a community, we’re mourning. I wanted to show up just to show my support and to be with the people I care about.”
“Everyone’s sad, maybe a little scared, but it is overall a positive environment where we all just want to be able to help each other recover,” Ida continued.
According to FOX6 News, 15-year-old shooter Natalie Rupnow lived with her father and was Jeffrey and Melissa Rupnow’s only child. Since 2014, her parents have been married and divorced twice, according to court documents. They had joint legal custody over Natalie, and her father was assigned primary placement in 2022.
Recently released photos of Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow show her at a shooting range and wearing a t-shirt from the German band KMFDM, which stands for “No Pity for the Majority.” This is not the first time that the band has been popular with a mass shooting suspect, as Eric Harris had also worn one of the band’s shirts before carrying out the deadly attack alongside Dylan Klebold at Columbine High School in 1999 that left 13 people dead and 21 others injured.
On Tuesday, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated during a press conference that the motive for Rupnow’s attack seems to be a “combination of factors,” although he has yet to specifically identify them.
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