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Teenager accused in Wisconsin school shooting had a tumultuous family life, court documents show

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Teenager accused in Wisconsin school shooting had a tumultuous family life, court documents show


MADISON, Wis. — A 15-year-old girl who police say killed two people and wounded multiple others at a private Christian school in Wisconsin endured what appeared to be a tumultuous home life marked by divorces, custody battles and a series of court-mandated mediation sessions to resolve disputes over her care, according to court documents obtained by NBC News.

Jeff and Mellissa Rupnow married and divorced twice, during which their daughter Natalie Rupnow would at times travel between her parents’ homes every few days and attend therapy.

They married in 2011 and divorced for the first time in 2014, according to court documents.

The two agreed to joint custody of Natalie, but she would live primarily with her mother, the documents state.

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They remarried in 2017, according to their marriage certificate obtained by NBC, but filed for divorce a second time in 2020. Mellissa and Jeff Rupnow again agreed to share custody of Natalie, but this time she would spend “equal time with both parents,” the court documents show. A divorce certificate obtained by NBC News shows their divorce was finalized in 2021.

Natalie Rupnow, who also went by Samantha, shot and killed a teacher and a student and wounded six others during study hall on Monday at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, before dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. The victims were identified as Erin M. West, 42, and Rubi P. Vergara, 14.

Two students who sustained life-threatening injuries during the shooting remained in the hospital and the other four injured have been discharged, police said.

The FBI detained Alexander Paffendorf, 20, in California earlier this week and ordered him to temporarily surrender his firearms after he allegedly communicated with Natalie Rupnow. Authorities say Paffendorf admitted to discussing plans with Rupnow to arm himself with explosives and target a government building. The FBI uncovered messages between the two but did not disclose their alleged plans.

Paffendorf and his family could not immediately be reached for comment.

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A makeshift memorial at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., on Dec. 17.Jamie Kelter Davis / New York Times via Redux

The apparent turmoil in Natalie Rupnow’s family life, as documented by court records, offer a glimpse into events that may have shaped her path before Monday’s tragedy.

In 2022, Mellissa and Jeff Rupnow sought mediation for custody of Natalie. That May, Dane County Family Court Services notified the parents of a requirement to attend a “mandatory parent education program via Zoom” due to a “disagreement concerning child custody and/or physical placement.” A month later, according to court documents, Mellissa Rupnow had “been scheduled to attend on June 2nd and June 16, 2022, but did not appear” for the Parent Education Program. Shortly after, the couple was asked to appear for a “mandatory mediation session in person appointment.”

In July 2022, an agreement was reached, granting them joint legal custody of Natalie, who would primarily live with her father, according to court documents. The documents also indicate that the parents agreed to “consider Natalie’s therapist’s recommendations regarding placement” for Natalie during the weekends.

Natalie’s mother agreed to connect with her therapist and “participate in therapy to the extent recommended by the therapist,” according to the court documents. Natalie’s father would make “every effort to schedule therapy appointments” to accommodate the mother’s schedule.

The court documents noted that “the parents report a generally positive co-parenting relationship and will continue to communicate with one another by text messages and phone conversations.”

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Jeff and Mellissa Rupnow did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said the two are “fully cooperating” with investigators, who are still trying to identify a motive and have not released many details on the teenager.

“Identifying a motive is our top priority. But at this time, it appears that the motive was a combination of factors,” Barnes said at a news conference.

Trish Kilpin, the director of Wisconsin’s Office of School Safety, said on Monday that “targeted violence is preventable.”

“When somebody decides to use violence, it’s often to redress an upset or a grievance, and they progress down a pathway towards that violence,” Kilpin said. “And when they do that, they often study previous school shooting incidents.”

A neighbor of Jeff Rupnow’s who spoke to NBC News expressed shock when he learned about the shooting and described Jeff as a “kind person.”

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“He really helped us out,” said the neighbor, who did not want his name used out of fear of publicity about the case. “I know we’re still trying to piece everything together.”

The neighbor indicated he didn’t know Natalie, saying “the very limited things we knew, it’s horrifying for everyone, obviously, and just horrifying for the families of the school and those kids.”

Selina Guevara reported from Madison, and Chloe Atkins and Daniella Silva reported from New York City.



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Wisconsin Lawmakers Propose Ranked Choice Voting for All Elections

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Wisconsin Lawmakers Propose Ranked Choice Voting for All Elections


BELOIT, Wis. — State Senator Mark Spreitzer (D-Beloit) and Representative Clinton Anderson (D-Beloit) introduced LRB-5709 on March 5, legislation that would implement ranked choice voting for state, federal, and local elections in Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin legislation would also eliminate the need for February primaries in nonpartisan elections.

Today, voters in Wisconsin almost never elect independent candidates, because the state’s elections are decided by first-past-the-post plurality voting (FPPV). In this system, a voter’s expression of preference is restricted to a single candidate. Each voter has just one choice, and if there are more than two candidates in the race, winning by plurality rather than majority is quite possible. 

Consequently, no matter how attractive an independent candidate may seem in the spring, summer, and early fall of an election year, he or she will be tarnished as a “spoiler” on Election Day and will almost certainly lose. 

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This unfortunate situation reduces the supply of independent candidates willing to compete and perpetually forces Americans into one of two warring factions.

In contrast, ranked-choice voting (RCV) allows voters to express their true preference for each candidate by ranking them in order of preference. 

If no candidate wins an outright majority, the candidate with the lowest number of first-place votes is eliminated, and the second-preference votes of his or her supporters are redistributed to the remaining candidates. 

This “instant runoff” process continues until a majority winner is determined. Not only does RCV give voters “more voice” in elections, but it also has the potential to stop our political system from tearing us apart into two camps.

Senator Spreitzer called the bill an improvement over a system that forces strategic voting. 

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“Under ranked choice voting, voters can vote for the candidate they like the most instead of having to strategically vote against the candidate they like the least,” he said.

“It is a system that encourages positive campaigns, ensures that winners have the support of a majority of voters, and allows more candidates to run without being seen as a waste of a vote or a spoiler.”

Representative Anderson pointed to existing models as evidence that the system works. 

“Ranked choice voting is not a new idea. It’s already working in states like Maine and Alaska, and in cities like New York City,” he said.

“Our current system rewards candidates for tearing each other down instead of building broad support. Ranked choice voting changes that. It encourages campaigns focused on issues and coalition-building, ensures nominees win with a true majority, and creates space for more voices beyond the two-party system.”

For the best analysis of the pernicious effects of a lack of competition in our political system, please read The Politics Industry by Wisconsinite Katherine M. Gehl and her co-author, Harvard Business School professor Michael E. Porter.



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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Austin Brown, S, Wisconsin

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2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Austin Brown, S, Wisconsin


It is never too early to evaluate defensive back depth for the 2026 NFL Draft. Todd Bowles’ defense relies heavily on versatile safeties who can rotate between deep coverage, the slot, and the box while maintaining physicality against the run. Identifying defensive backs who bring positional flexibility and strong tackling ability remains an important part of building depth in Tampa Bay’s secondary.

We are working through each position group this cycle. With that in mind, here is our report on Wisconsin safety Austin Brown.

Information

  • School: Wisconsin
  • Conference: Big Ten
  • Position: Safety
  • Height Weight: 6-1, 215 pounds
  • Class: Senior
  • Hometown: Johnston City, Illinois

Background

Brown developed into a reliable defensive presence during his time at Wisconsin, progressing from a special teams contributor early in his career to a full-time starter in the secondary. After appearing in all 13 games during his freshman season primarily on special teams, Brown steadily expanded his role within the Badgers’ defense over the next three seasons.

By 2024, Brown had earned eight starts and finished the season with 51 tackles, three pass breakups, one sack, and a forced fumble. One of his standout performances came against USC, where he recorded nine tackles and delivered a strip-sack while adding two tackles for loss. His ability to contribute in multiple ways helped establish him as a dependable defensive back in Wisconsin’s secondary.

Brown took on an even larger role in 2025, starting all 12 games and finishing the year with 52 tackles, one tackle for loss, and three passes defended. His most productive outing came against Alabama, where he recorded 11 tackles and a tackle for loss. Throughout the season, he showed versatility by aligning at safety, slot defender, and occasionally outside corner, depending on the defensive package.

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Academically, Brown also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors multiple times during his career.

Notable Stats

  • 672 total snaps
  • 43 tackles
  • 14 assisted tackles
  • 3 passes defended
  • 1 pressure
  • 1 hurry

Brown’s 2024 season stands out as his most efficient evaluation year, highlighted by a 73.7 overall defensive grade and an 85.8 tackling grade according to PFF.

Pro Day Testing

Brown also helped himself significantly during Wisconsin’s pro day testing session. His 20 repetitions on the bench press would have ranked as the top mark among safeties at the 2026 NFL Combine, surpassing the leading total of 18 reps recorded by a safety in Indianapolis.

He followed that with a 43-inch vertical jump, which would have also placed him at the top of the safety group at the combine. Arizona safety Genesis Smith recorded a 42.5-inch vertical during combine testing.

Those testing numbers highlight Brown’s explosiveness and upper-body strength. While his production reflects a steady defensive contributor, the athletic testing shows physical tools that could help him get drafted and carve out a role at the next level.

Skills

  • High-effort defensive back
  • Versatile alignment experience across the secondary
  • Strong tackling production for the position
  • Physical build at 6-1, 215 pounds
  • Reliable short-area pursuit
  • Experience playing safety, slot, and outside coverage roles
  • Disciplined run support

Brown’s versatility stands out when evaluating his role in Wisconsin’s defense. He logged snaps at multiple positions in the secondary, including free safety, slot defender, and outside coverage assignments, depending on the defensive package.

His physical build allows him to contribute effectively against the run. Brown consistently works downhill to finish tackles and limit yards after contact. His tackling efficiency improved significantly between 2023 and 2024, which showed up in his strong tackling grade during the 2024 season.

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In coverage, Brown shows awareness of zone concepts and the ability to stay involved around the football. While he does not profile as a pure center-field range safety, his instincts and effort allow him to remain active within structured defensive schemes.

Player Summary

Austin Brown projects as a Day 3 draft selection who offers value as a versatile defensive back capable of contributing in multiple alignments. His combination of size, tackling reliability, and positional flexibility gives him a pathway to carve out a role as a rotational safety and special teams contributor early in his career.

In Tampa Bay, Brown would profile as a developmental depth option in Todd Bowles’ secondary. His experience playing multiple positions in the defensive backfield fits well with the variety of roles required in Bowles’ defense, giving him the potential to grow into a dependable rotational defender while contributing on special teams.



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[Photo Story] Penn State Men’s Hockey Disappoints Against Wisconsin

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[Photo Story] Penn State Men’s Hockey Disappoints Against Wisconsin


With the last regular-season series, No. 6 Penn State men’s hockey dropped both games to No. 11 Wisconsin over the weekend. The Nittany Lions were outplayed both nights, wrapping up their season to finish with a record of 20-12-2.

Of course, our photographers were at Pegula Ice Arena to capture all the action. Let’s take a look.

Wisconsin was dominant in both games against Penn State, winning 7-3 and 5-2, respectively. The Badgers outshot the Nittany Lions 41-31 on Thursday and 37-25 on Friday. Charlie Cerrato made a notable appearance. He played his first game back on Friday after being injured January 9 against Minnesota.

In Thursday’s game, the Nittany Lions fought for the first two periods, but the Badgers’ goal opened the third period and killed all of the momentum. In Friday’s game, the Nittany Lions fell behind from the very start and never built momentum to overcome the deficit.

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Penn State now goes on to the Big Ten Tournament, where it will go up against Minnesota at home. Puck is set for 7 p.m. on Wednesday, March 11.

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Ella is a second-year Telecommunications major from Miami, Florida. She enjoys taking photos, listening to all genres of music, coffee, and has become a self proclaimed grandma. If needed, you can contact her through email at [email protected] or on Twitter @ellawehm

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