School Shooter’s Father Charged With Gun Felonies
The father of a teenage school shooter who killed two people last December in Wisconsin has been arrested and charged with multiple felonies related to providing his daughter with firearms, officials announced Thursday.
Jeffrey Rupnow, 42, was taken into custody early Thursday morning and charged with contributing to the delinquency of a child and two counts of providing a dangerous weapon to a person under 18 resulting in death, according to a statement from the Madison Police Department.
Father Provided Access to Deadly Weapons
Investigators allege Rupnow purchased the weapons used in the shooting legally in Dane County but allowed his 15-year-old daughter Natalie regular access to multiple firearms, including a gun safe in their home. Court documents reveal Rupnow gave his daughter a .22-caliber Sig Sauer pistol as a Christmas present in 2023, according to Newsweek.
“There was a gun safe in the home. Based on our investigation, it did not stop the teenager from having regular access to the firearms,” said Madison Acting Police Chief John Patterson during a press conference announcing the charges.
History of Concerning Behavior
Court documents reveal that Madison police had previously alerted Rupnow in 2022 about his daughter’s “high-risk” online activity. The complaint also states Natalie Rupnow had struggled with her mental health following her parents’ divorce, according to CBS News.
Investigators discovered writings in the teen’s room expressing hatred toward people who drank alcohol excessively, like her father. She also wrote that she obtained her guns “by lies, manipulation, and my father’s stupidity,” according to court documents.
The Deadly Attack
On December 16, 2024, Natalie Rupnow entered Abundant Life Christian School in Madison and opened fire during a study hall period, killing 42-year-old teacher Erin West and 14-year-old student Rubi Vergara before taking her own life. Six other individuals were injured in the attack, with one victim still hospitalized nearly five months later.
Police found two weapons at the scene – a 9mm Glock handgun in the study hall room and the .22-caliber pistol in the shooter’s bag, along with additional ammunition. Authorities also recovered what they described as a manifesto titled “War Against Humanity” at the Rupnow residence, according to Associated Press.
Online Connections to Violence
The investigation revealed the teenager had a fascination with weapons and school shootings, often discussing these topics with people she met online. Shortly after the shooting, authorities identified Alexander Paffendorf, a California man with whom Natalie had been messaging about attacking a government building with a gun and explosives.
Another individual, 22-year-old Damien Blade Allen, who was arrested this week for allegedly planning a mass shooting, was also found to have been communicating with Natalie before her death.
Growing Trend of Parental Accountability
Rupnow’s arrest marks the latest case in a growing trend of parents facing criminal charges in connection with school shootings carried out by their children. Last year, the parents of a Michigan school shooter who killed four students in 2021 were each convicted of involuntary manslaughter – the first case in the U.S. where parents were held legally responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.
Bail for Jeffrey Rupnow has been set at $20,000. If convicted on all charges, he could face up to 18 years in prison.
