The 15-year-old teenage girl who opened fire and killed two people at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, had a troubled home life, court records showed.
Natalie Rupnow, who went by "Samantha," was one of the people who died in the Monday school shooting. Police found Natalie dead at the scene with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police have released very few details about Natalie, including her motive for the shooting. However, court records indicate the child had a troubled life at home, with her parents having been divorced and remarried multiple times, according to The Washington Post, which reviewed the documents.
Natalie Rupnow's Parents
Mellisa Rupnow, Natalie's mother, and Jeff Rupnow, her father, first married in 2011 when she was around two years old. They divorced in 2014 and agreed to have joint legal custody of Natalie, but she was to live with her mother.
Mellisa and Jeff remarried in 2017 and divorced again in 2020. This time, however, Natalie would live with one parent for two days of the week and the other for five days. The schedules reversed each week, court records showed.
The couple remarried again shortly after splitting up but requested a third divorce in April 2021. While Mellisa and Jeff agreed to share custody, Natalie would live mostly with her father. It was noted that she had been enrolled in therapy to help her determine who she wanted to spend the weekends with.
What Authorities Have Discovered Since the Shooting
Investigators have yet to release a comment on Natalie's motive for the shooting, adding that they are making it their "top priority." Officers for the Madison Police Department said they are speaking with other students at Abundant Life to determine if Natalie had been a victim of bullying.
It was also noted that they are now reviewing a document that Natalie could have written. That document circulated on social media after the shooting, but police have yet to identify whether it is authentic.
Furthermore, investigators are checking Natalie's online activities but said they are not releasing any specifics about the teen's social media accounts.
