Free Republic

JANESVILLE, Wis. -- The mother of the 15-year-old girl, who killed two and injured six at Abundant Life Christian School on Dec. 16, 2024, was found dead on Aug. 1 in an "apparent suicide," the Janesville Police Department confirmed to News 3 Now. Melissa Rupnow, who resided at the 1100 block of Matheson Street in Janesville, was found dead last week in what seemed to have "appeared a suicide," according to a Janesville police lieutenant. The lieutenant who confirmed the act could not elaborate because of an ongoing investigation. According to online court records, Melissa and Jeffrey Rupnow had been...

The female school shooter, who gunned down students and teachers before turning the gun on herself in Wisconsin, was named by officials on Monday night. Natalie 'Samantha' Rupnow, 15, killed a student, a teacher, and then herself at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison shortly before 11am on Monday. Rupnow's alleged manifesto has been circulating on social media. Police said they have not confirmed the document's validity. Two people are currently fighting for their lives in hospital after the rampage. Rupnow - who died from a self-inflicted gun wound on the way to hospital after the school shooting - opened...

According to investigative journalist Andy Ngo, she posted a purported "sneak peek" of the manifesto to her Discord account, "@brainedout." In the earlier version, Rupnow allegedly discussed a desire to "exterminate" all males, including infants and the elderly, in a rant apparently inspired by extremist culture among fringe social media circles.

Newly uncovered photos and online accounts purportedly associated with the Wisconsin teen school shooter suggest a deeply disturbing obsession with other school shooters such as Columbine killer Eric Harris — and even show her wearing a t-shirt of his favorite band. A now-eerie snapshot of Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, was posted on her father’s Facebook page and shows her aiming a rifle at a shooting range wearing a shirt from the German industrial rock band KMFDM. Harris was seen in photos also wearing one of the band’s T-shirts before he and Dylan Klebold went on to murder 13 people in...

MADISON, Wis. -- A Florida man who was found to have communicated with the Abundant Life Christian School shooter was arrested for allegedly planning a mass shooting at a law enforcement facility. According to the arrest affidavit Damien Blade Allen and the 15-year-old girl who police say opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School in December, killing two and injuring six, exchanged messages for months over TikTok. A joint investigation between FBI and US revealed Damien Blade Allen allegedly conspired with other individuals online to commit mass violence. Allen was also arrested for impersonating a law enforcement officer. He allegedly...

The shooter who killed a student and teacher at a religious school in Wisconsin brought two guns to the school and was in contact with a man in California who authorities say was planning to attack a government building, according to authorities and court documents that became public Wednesday. Police were still investigating why the 15-year-old student at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison shot and killed a fellow student and teacher on Monday before shooting herself, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said. Two other students who were shot remained in critical condition on Wednesday. “We may never know what...

Alexander Paffendorf appeared by video in a collared shirt and tie in court on Friday to face the consequences of his actions, without detailing his role in the Abundant Life Christian School shooting on December 16. Police have said Paffendorf admitted to federal agents that he had been messaging school shooter 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives while she carried out the attack at the small Christian school. A motive for the shooting still remains unclear, with police saying they do not know whether anyone was specifically targeted in the attack as some...

Alexander Paffendorf, 20, of Carlsbad, was detained by FBI agents on suspicion of 'plotting' to coordinate a mass shooting at government buildings in conjunction with Rupnow, according to an emergency gun violence restraining order reviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It notes that FBI agents 'saw the messages from Paffendorf to Rupnow.' It was not immediately clear how Paffendorf knew Rupnow, and Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes told the Journal Sentinel he did not have any information about the arrest in California, and referred questions to the FBI.