A second grade teacher at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin calls 911 at 10:57 am to report an active shooter inside a study hall classroom at the private Christian school. Inside the study hall class, students from several different grades dive for cover as 15-year-old Natalie "Samantha" Rupnow, is firing a 9mm handgun around the class. She is a student at the school and commits suicide before law enforcement breaches the building. No shots are exchanged.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes says identifying a motive is a top priority, but at this stage of the investigation it appears the motive was a combination of factors. A reported manifesto has been found, but Barnes says they have not been able to verify its authenticity.
Police say Rupnow has been in texting with a 20 year old Carlsbad,California man, planning his own mass attack. After police discovered the message Alexander Paffendorf was interviewed by the FBI where he admitted “that he told Rupnow that he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building." No specific building was named. A California judge has issued a restraining order under California’s gun red flag law. The order requires Paffendorf to turn in his guns and ammunition to police within 48 hours. Neighbors say police entered his home carrying out a big "black gun box."
Joining Nancy Grace today:
- Philip Dubé - Former Court-Appointed Counsel, Los Angeles County Public Defenders: Criminal & Constitutional Law, Forensics & Mental Health Advocacy
- Angela Arnold - Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA, AngelaArnoldMD.com, Expert in the Treatment of Pregnant/Postpartum Women, Former Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynecology: Emory University, Former Medical Director of The Psychiatric Ob-Gyn Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital, Voted My Buckhead’s Best Psychiatric Practice of 2022, 2023 and 2024.
- Robin Dreeke - Behavior Expert & Former FBI Special Agent / Chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program, Author:"Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agents Manual for Behavior Prediction" , "Unbreakable Alliances: A Spy Recruiter's Authoritative Guide to Cultivating Powerful and Lasting Connections" being released and "Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agents Maual for Behavior Prediction" all of his books available on Amazon, peopleformula.com, Twitter: @rdreeke
- Katherine Schweit - Creator of the FBI's Active Shooter Program, Former Chicago prosecutor and career FBI special agent; authored "Stop the Killing; How to End the Mass Shooting Crisis" and "How to Talk About Guns to Anyone"; website: https://www.katherineschweit.com/
- Dr. Eric Eason - Board Certified Forensic Pathologist, consultant, Instagram: @eric_a_eason, Facebook: Eric August Eason, LinkedIn: Eric Eason, MD
- Bria Jones - Reporter, Fox 6 Milwaukee Twitter: @BriaJonesTV Facebook: Bria Jones TV