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Madison, Wisconsin, school shooting suspect was in contact with man accused of plotting his own attack: report

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Madison, Wisconsin, school shooting suspect was in contact with man accused of plotting his own attack: report


The 15-year-old girl who police say killed a teacher and teen student in a shooting at a private Christian school in Madison, Wisconsin, on Monday was in contact with a man in California whom authorities say was plotting a mass shooting with her, according to a report. 

The man, according to a restraining order obtained by the Associated Press, told FBI agents that he had been messaging Wisconsin shooter Natalie Rupnow about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives. The order doesn’t say what building he had targeted or when he planned to launch his attack. It also doesn’t detail his interactions with Rupnow.

The order was issued by a California judge on Tuesday against a 20-year-old Carlsbad man under the state’s gun red flag law. The order requires the man to turn his guns and ammunition to police within 48 hours unless an officer asks for them sooner because he poses an immediate danger to himself and others.

Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, following a shooting, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024.  (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

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MEDICAL EXAMINER IDENTIFIES VICTIMS KILLED IN WISCONSIN CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SHOOTING

Rupnow opened fire inside a study hall inside Abundant Life Christian School just before 11 a.m., according to Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes. He said responding officers found Rupnow with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She died on the way to a hospital.

The Dane County Medical Examiner’s report identified Rupnow’s deceased victims as 14-year-old student Rubi Patricia Vergara and 42-year-old teacher Erin M. West.

The report stated that West, of Deforest, and Vergara, of Madison, were both pronounced dead at the scene and that preliminary results of the examinations confirm that both died as a result of “homicidal firearm related trauma.”

Six others were injured in the shooting, including two students who are in critical condition with life-threatening injuries.

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According to an obituary, Vergara was a freshman at Abundant Life Christian School and was described as being “an avid reader, lover of art, and singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”

Vergara’s aunt told Fox News Digital that it has been a “very hard week” for their family, and they are trying to get through her niece’s funeral, which is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Madison.

Dan Beazley stands with the homemade cross he brought from Michigan for victims of a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, in Madison, Wisconsin.  (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

SCHOOL SHOOTER’S MOM JENNIFER CRUMBLEY HAD ‘TAINTED’ TRIAL, ATTORNEYS SAY IN REQUEST TO TOSS CONVICTION

The Madison Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital that two guns were recovered from the school following the shooting. However, only one gun was allegedly used by Rupnow.

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During a press conference Tuesday afternoon, Barnes said “identifying a motive is our top priority.” He said the motive appears to be a combination of factors, but he did not elaborate any further.

“Every child, every person in that building is a victim and will be a victim forever. We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened,” Barnes said. “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.”

While Rupnow had two handguns, Barnes said he does not know how she obtained them and he declined to say who purchased them, citing the ongoing investigation.

No decisions have been made about whether Rupnow’s parents might be charged in relation to the shooting.

Police were speaking with Rupnow’s father and other family members, who were cooperating, and searching Rupnow’s home, Barnes said. He declined to offer additional details about the shooter, partly out of respect for the family.

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Rebekah Smith, whose 17-year-old daughter is a student at the Abundant Life Christian School, told Fox News that she and her husband knew all the victims and their families.

Emergency vehicles are parked outside the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, where multiple injuries were reported following a shooting on Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)

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Smith said the teacher who was killed had a daughter who was in sports with the Smiths’ daughter, and they talked with the mother at the games all the time. 

She added that the victim had been a long-term substitute teacher at the school and just became a full-time teacher this year.

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The school’s communication director, Barbara Wiers, said in a statement Wednesday evening that West worked as a substitute teacher for three years before accepting a position as the school’s substitute coordinator and an in-building substitute teacher.

She said Vergara had attended the school since kindergarten.

Fox News’ Greg Wehnerm, Stephen Sorace and the Associated Press contributed to this report.



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US animal rights activists clash with police over Wisconsin dog breeder

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US animal rights activists clash with police over Wisconsin dog breeder


About 1,000 animal welfare activists who tried to gain entry on Saturday to a beagle breeding and research facility in Wisconsin were turned back by police who fired rubber bullets and pepper spray into the crowd and arrested the group’s leader.

It was the second attempt in as many months by protesters to take beagles from the Ridglan Farms facility in Blue Mounds, a small town about 25 miles (about 40 kilometres) southwest of Wisconsin’s capital, Madison.

Dane County Sheriff Kalvin Barrett said in a video statement that 300 to 400 protesters were “violently trying to break into the property” and assault officers. He said protesters have ignored designated areas for peaceful protest and blocked roads to prevent emergency vehicles from entering.

“This is not a peaceful protest,” Barrett said.

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The sheriff’s department said a “significant” number of people were arrested out of about 1,000 protesters at the site but did not give an exact total as they were still being processed as of the afternoon.

Protesters tried to overcome barricades that included a manure-filled trench, hay bales and a barbed-wire fence. Some protesters did get through the fence but were unable to enter the facility, where an estimated 2,000 beagles are kept, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.

Animal rights activists attempt to break into Ridglan Farms beagle breeding and research facility in Blue Mounds, Wisconsin, on Saturday. Photo: AP



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Wisconsin basketball signs Miami transfer Eian Elmer, who gives ‘scoring punch’

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Wisconsin basketball signs Miami transfer Eian Elmer, who gives ‘scoring punch’


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  • The Wisconsin men’s basketball team has signed Miami (OH) transfer Eian Elmer.
  • Elmer, a 6-foot-7 wing, averaged 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds last season while shooting efficiently from 3-point range.
  • He is the third transfer portal addition for the Badgers this offseason.

Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.

Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.

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Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.

“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”

Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.

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The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.

The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.



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Wisconsin storms aftermath: Widespread damage, river flood warnings in effect

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Wisconsin storms aftermath: Widespread damage, river flood warnings in effect


Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.

However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.

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Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.

FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.

On the scene in the morning

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What we know:

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FOX6 Weather Extras

Local perspective:

Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:  

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FOX6 Storm Center app

FOX LOCAL Mobile app

FOX Weather app

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Maps and radar

We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.

SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News

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School and business closings

When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.

FOX6 Weather Experts in social media

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The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.

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