Wisconsin
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)
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.
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.
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.
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)
CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
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.
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.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin basketball signs Miami transfer Eian Elmer, who gives ‘scoring punch’
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
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.
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.
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.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin storms aftermath: Widespread damage, river flood warnings in effect
MILWAUKEE – 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.
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
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
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:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
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
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
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin transfer Aleksas Bieliauskas joins SEC team with ties to Badgers
How Aleksas Bieliauskas has grown in first season with Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has high praise for Aleksas Bieliauskas about a month into the Lithuania native’s freshman season.
MADISON – One of Wisconsin men’s basketball’s departing transfers is headed to an SEC program with some connections to the Badgers.
Ex-UW forward Aleksas Bieliauskas has committed to South Carolina, he announced on April 17.
Bieliauskas left the Badgers after appearing in all 35 games as a freshman and making 28 starts. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 points in 20.2 minutes, and highlights of his freshman year included his five 3-pointers in UW’s upset over eventual national champion Michigan.
He’ll join a program with plenty of Wisconsin ties. South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris was an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 2010-17 on Bo Ryan and Greg Gard’s staffs. South Carolina assistant coach Tanner Bronson and director of video services Roman DiPasquale also are UW alumni.
Bieliauskas is the second of UW’s four departing transfers to commit to a new school. Reserve forward Jack Robison committed to North Dakota State on April 15. Starting guard John Blackwell and reserve forward Riccardo Greppi have not announced their next schools yet.
-
Technology2 minutes agoChinese robot breaks human world record in Beijing half-marathon
-
Business8 minutes agoCivil case against Alec Baldwin, ‘Rust’ movie producers advances toward a trial
-
Entertainment14 minutes agoKarol G at Coachella was a global hit. Yet other foreign acts fear touring the U.S.
-
Lifestyle20 minutes agoL.A.’s unofficial Statue of Liberty is a Fashion Nova billboard off the 10 Freeway
-
Politics26 minutes agoOrdered free, still locked up: Judges fume as Trump administration holds ICE detainees
-
Science32 minutes agoA renewed threat to JPL as the Trump administration tries again to cut NASA
-
Sports38 minutes agoAfter 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town
-
World50 minutes agoBulgaria votes in eighth election in five years