Rubi P. Vergara dies in fatal Madison school shooting

Rubi P. Vergara dies in fatal Madison school shooting

Fatal Madison school shooting death of Rubi P. Vergara – Obituary

Rubi P. Vergara, 14, was one of two victims tragically killed in a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 16, 2024. The attacker, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, a student at the same school, also fatally shot staff member Erin M. West before turning the gun on herself.

Authorities later charged Natalie’s father, Jeffrey Rupnow, 42, with multiple felonies, including two counts of providing a minor with a deadly weapon resulting in death. According to police, both firearms used in the attack were legally purchased by Rupnow and accessible to his daughter.

Police Chief John Patterson confirmed that while the weapons were stored in a safe, Natalie either knew or discovered how to access them. Charging documents revealed her father once told investigators he gave her the access code—his Social Security number reversed—and had taken her shooting years prior to bond with her.

The shooting unfolded during a study hall period, impacting students from different grades. Rubi, remembered as a bright and kind student, died at the scene alongside 42-year-old Erin West, a substitute coordinator. Six other individuals were injured, with two sustaining critical wounds that have since improved.

Investigators uncovered deeply disturbing evidence including a “manifesto” titled “War Against Humanity,” along with hand-drawn school maps and a detailed attack timeline. Natalie had also reportedly been active in online spaces focused on school violence.

Mr. Rupnow admitted to knowing about his daughter’s emotional struggles and past self-harming behavior. Though she had been in therapy, he said she had stopped attending sessions several months before the shooting. He expressed deep remorse in later messages to authorities, regretting his choices and underestimating the need to secure the weapons more thoroughly.

This case follows a growing trend of parental accountability in school shootings. Prosecutors pointed to the earlier conviction of James and Jennifer Crumbley in Michigan as a precedent. The tragedy has reignited debates on firearm safety, mental health, and the responsibilities of gun-owning parents.