What’s New
Erin West, a teacher described as “kind and caring” by her students, lost her life in the school shooting that took place at her Wisconsin school right before the Christmas holiday.
West, 42, was a substitute coordinator at Abundant Life Christian School, and had worked at the school as a substitute teacher before being promoted to her coordinator role.
Per CNN, West was a mother, and according to The Associated Press, when reporters called the address linked to West for comment, a man answered the phone and then hung up.
West died in this shooting alongside 14 year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara, who was shot by 15-year-old suspected shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow during the school day.
Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
Vergara is described in her obituary as “an avid reader, loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”
Although the Madison Wisconsin Police Department said they will not release the names of the shooting victims, as they operate under Marsy’s Law which “provides additional rights to crime victims in Wisconsin,” the names of the victims were made public by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Why It Matters
There have been 205 school shootings in 2024, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.
Per Everytown’s gun safety rankings, Wisconsin ranks 21st in the country for its gun safety laws. While it is illegal to carry a gun within a K-12 school, and the state does have child access prevention laws that require gun owners to properly store their guns away when living with children under 14, Wisconsin does not have a mandated school threat assessment team to help identify students who may carry out a shooting.
The state also does not require background checks to purchase a gun.
Following this shooting, there have been more calls from elected officials for Congress to sign federal gun control measures, as well as from a former coach at Abundant Life who said “we need more than thoughts and prayers: we need actions and policies, we need discussions and hard decisions.”
What To Know
The Madison Police Department have called Rupnow the perpetrator of the shooting at her private Christian school on Monday.
The shooting took place inside a study hall classroom full of students from multiple grades. It left three dead, including Rupnow, and six injured.
Madison PD have disclosed that Rupnow brought two handguns into school, and used one for the shooting. As the case is an active investigation, they are not releasing more information on the firearms at this time.
Morry Gash/Associated Press
What People Are Saying
Mackynzie Wilson, a sophomore at Abundant Life, told CNN: “She was so excited to see her daughters grow up and what they were going to be and do with their lives…She would have done anything for them… I just wish I could’ve gone back and given her a hug.”
Madison police said: “Detectives are working hard to determine the motive for the attack. If they are able to discover this, it may provide insight into whether there were specific targets. Everyone was targeted; everyone was put in equal danger.”
What Happens Next
The incoming Trump administration has not published policies on gun control.
In 2018, then-President Trump suggested a policy of arming teachers with their own guns. This policy was not implemented federally, and was seen by gun control advocates as not a solution to the problem at hand.
Vice President-elect JD Vance has said that school shootings should be addressed with enhanced security at schools, and that they are committed by “psychos.”