OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
3:08 PM – Thursday, December 19, 2024
The two individuals who were fatally shot during the Abundant Life Christian School shooting in Wisconsin was a 42-year-old substitute teacher named Erin West and a 14-year-old freshman student named Rubi Vergara.
The now-deceased assailant, Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who was a 15-year-old student at the school, shot the two women inside the Madison private Christian school on Monday morning before turning the gun on herself.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, which cited an obituary, Vergara “shared a special bond with her beloved pets,” including a dog and cat, and she loved to sing and play piano in the family’s worship band. Vergara was also an avid reader who expressed a fondness for the arts.
The teen’s obituary stated that her parents, brother, and a number of other family members she left behind would all “deeply miss” her.
According to a parent who spoke to the media, Ms. West was filling in for a teacher who was on vacation.
“The teacher died protecting her class,” said Lyndsay O’Connor, whose daughter and son attend the school. “Many more lives could have been taken. She [Rupnow] sent off multiple rounds.”
Ms. West’s obituary has been posted as well.
“Erin [West] enjoyed family camping trips, attending school sporting events, serving at Doxa Church, and spending time with her daughters and the rest of her family. Erin is survived by her husband, Jack; three daughters, Emery, Laurel and Adleigh; parents, Teresa and Larry; sister, Jennifer (Glenn) Bruce; friend, Hanna Hipp; and Pastor Rob Warren,” her obituary reads.
15-year-old Rupnow started shooting inside a classroom during study hall, wounding five other students—two of whom were severely injured and admitted to the hospital—as well as the one substitute teacher, West, before taking her own life.
According to court documents that the Washington Post outlet was able to obtain, Rupnow had been in therapy due to her family troubles before she killed the two victims and herself.
The publication continued, reporting that she is one of only nine women who have carried out a school shooting since 1999, and officials are still probing her motive.
“We may never know what she was thinking that day, but we’ll do our best to try to add or give as much information to our public as possible,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
A funeral home that is handling Vergara’s arrangements announced that Rubi’s celebration of life will be held at a church in Madison on Saturday. It will be livestreamed for friends and family to watch.
Regarding the celebration of life for West, the heroic substitute teacher, on December 23th, at noon, a funeral ceremony will take place at Doxa Church, 2700 Novation Parkway, Madison. The church will be open for visits on Monday from 10 a.m. until the end of the service, her obituary notes.
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