Court documents obtained by NBC News reveal that the 15-year-old girl, Natalie Rupnow, who went by Samantha, responsible for a shooting at a Christian school in Wisconsin had a tumultuous home life marked by divorces, custody battles, and court-mandated mediation sessions. Natalie’s parents, Jeff and Mellissa Rupnow, married and divorced twice, with Natalie shuttling between their homes and attending therapy. They agreed to joint custody, with Natalie primarily living with her mother, later transitioning to equal time with both parents. Natalie tragically killed a teacher and a student, wounded six others, then died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Further investigation revealed that Alexander Paffendorf, 20, was detained for communicating with Natalie about plans to target a government building using explosives.
The court records also detail a history of mediation sessions and a positive co-parenting relationship between Jeff and Mellissa. In 2022, a custody agreement granted joint legal custody, with Natalie primarily living with her father and attending therapy as recommended. Authorities are still working to identify a motive for the shooting, believed to be a combination of factors. Trish Kilpin, from Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety, emphasized the preventability of targeted violence, urging early intervention.
Neighbors expressed shock over the incident and described Jeff Rupnow as a kind person who had helped them in the past. The community remains in shock, trying to piece together the tragic events that unfolded at the school. Investigators are still working to uncover more details surrounding the shooting and the circumstances that led to this tragedy.
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