Wisconsin school shooting: Police say a 'combination of factors' motivated the attack

Police said that "multiple factors" may have motivated the shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, which tragically left three dead and six injured. The suspect, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, reportedly took her own life after the incident.

According to Madison police chief Shon Barnes, a "combination of factors" may have led to the shooting, and investigators are interviewing Rupnow's classmates "to understand whether bullying was one of those multiple factors."

Following the tragedy, a document titled "War Against Humanity" has surfaced, allegedly authored by Rupnow. This manifesto, along with her social media posts and personal writings, offers insight into her motivations, mental state, and the warning signs that went unnoticed before the attack.

“We are working to authenticate the document that you see online that some are referring to as a manifesto,” Barnes said, as quoted by USA Today, urging people not to share the document until its authenticity is confirmed. He also requested that anyone with knowledge of Rupnow's state of mind prior to the shooting contact the police.



Were parents negligent?

Authorities are investigating how Rupnow obtained the handgun used in the shooting and are working with the ATF to trace the weapon. Barnes noted they are also examining potential parental negligence.

“We also want to look at if the parents may have been negligent. And that’s a question that we’ll have to answer with our district attorney’s office,” Barnes told CNN. “But at this time, that does not appear to be the case.”

Madison mayor on shooting

Madison mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway declined to provide additional details about the victims, stressing the need for respect and privacy. “It is absolutely none of y’all's business who was harmed in this incident,” she stated. “Just have some human decency, folks. Leave them alone. Let them grieve. Let them recover. Let them heal,” she said. “Don’t feed off their pain. We’ll share what we can when we can and not before that. Thank you.”

Wisconsin school shooting

The shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Monday left three people dead, including the suspected shooter, and six others injured. Police identified the suspect as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, also known as Samantha, a student at the school. Rupnow reportedly opened fire inside a classroom at the K-12 institution, which serves approximately 400 students.


According to Barnes, Rupnow died from a suspected self-inflicted gunshot wound while being transported to a local hospital.

Among the victims, two students remain in critical condition. Three other students and one teacher were injured, with two already discharged from the hospital.

Memorial outside the school

Community members have set up a makeshift memorial of candles and flowers outside the school. Two local school bus drivers, Megan Mojica and Kamila Reynolds, visited the memorial to pray. Reynolds expressed her shock at the violence. “(Madison) is a good town,” she said, as quoted by USA Today. “And for something to happen like this ... it’s surprising.”

Mojica, whose son experienced a school shooting in 2019, shared words of support, saying, as quoted by USA Today, “Surround yourself with family and friends, because with time, you will be able to overcome.”