Father of 15-year-old Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow faces felony charges

Wisconsin prosecutors have filed charges against Jeffrey Rupnow, the father of Natalie Rupnow, a 15-year-old girl who carried out a tragic school shooting last year. The criminal complaint reveals that Natalie struggled with her parents’ divorce and expressed her anger in a written piece titled “War Against Humanity.”

According to the complaint, Jeffrey Rupnow allowed his daughter access to semiautomatic pistols, which she used in the attack. He tried to bond with her through guns, unaware of her meticulous planning of the shooting, including building a cardboard model of the school and scheduling the attack to end with her suicide.

The charges against Jeffrey Rupnow include two counts of intentionally giving a dangerous weapon to a person under 18, causing death, and contributing to the delinquency of a child. These charges are felonies, and Rupnow was arrested and taken to the Dane County Jail after the complaint was unsealed.

The tragic school shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison resulted in the deaths of teacher Erin Michelle West and 14-year-old student Rubi Bergara. Natalie also injured six others before taking her own life. The investigation revealed that she used a 9 mm Glock handgun and a .22-caliber Sig Sauer pistol, both provided by her father.

Natalie had been struggling with her parents’ divorce, with her therapist identifying post-traumatic stress disorder as a result. Jeffrey Rupnow admitted to taking Natalie shooting and using guns as a way to connect with her. He kept the pistols in a gun safe, but Natalie had easy access to them, leading to the tragic incident.

A search of Natalie’s room uncovered a document titled “War Against Humanity,” where she expressed her disdain for people and her admiration for school shooters. Maps of the school, a cardboard model, and a detailed schedule of the attack were also found. Natalie had been communicating online about her fascination with school shootings and weapons.

Jeffrey Rupnow later regretted teaching Natalie gun safety and urged others to change their gun safe combinations regularly to prevent similar incidents. The charges against him are the latest in a series of cases where parents have been held accountable for their children’s involvement in school shootings.

In conclusion, the tragic school shooting in Madison serves as a reminder of the importance of responsible gun ownership and parental supervision. The legal consequences faced by Jeffrey Rupnow highlight the need for diligence in ensuring firearms are securely stored and inaccessible to minors.