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GIRL-SCHOOL-SHOOTER’S DARK ONLINE LINKS TO SITE ‘WATCH PEOPLE DIE,’ ACCOMPLICE IDed?

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CRIME Stories with Nancy Grace

A second-grade teacher at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, called 911 at 10:57 a.m. to report an active shooter inside a study hall classroom at the private Christian school.

Inside the study hall, students from several grades dove for cover as 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow fired a 9mm handgun around the room. Rupnow, a student at the school, died by suicide before law enforcement entered the building. No shots were exchanged.

Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said identifying a motive is a top priority. At this stage of the investigation, it appears the motive involved a combination of factors. A reported manifesto has been found, but Barnes said authorities have not yet verified its authenticity.

Police said Rupnow had been texting with a 20-year-old Carlsbad, California, man who was allegedly planning his own mass attack. After discovering the messages, authorities interviewed Alexander Paffendorf, who admitted to the FBI that he told Rupnow he planned to arm himself with explosives and a gun and target a government building. No specific building was named.

A California judge issued a restraining order under the state’s gun red flag law, requiring Paffendorf to surrender his firearms and ammunition to police within 48 hours. Neighbors reported seeing police remove a large “black gun box” from his home.

Joining Nancy Grace today:

Philip Dubé  – Court-Appointed Counsel, Los Angeles County Public Defenders: Criminal & Constitutional Law; Forensics & Mental Health Advocacy
Dr. Angela Arnold – Psychiatrist, Atlanta GA. 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
Robin Dreeke – Behavior Expert & Retired FBI Special Agent / Chief of the FBI Counterintelligence Behavioral Analysis Program; Author: “Sizing People Up: A Veteran FBI Agents Manual for Behavior Prediction;” X: @rdreekeke
Dr. Eric Eason – Board Certified Forensic Pathologist, Consultant; Instagram: @eric_a_eason, Facebook: Eric August Eason, & LinkedIn: Eric Eason, MD

Additional Guests

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/

Bria Jones – Reporter, Fox6 News – Milwaukee; X: @BriaJonesTV Facebook: Bria Jones TV

“Crime Stories with Nancy Grace” on Fox Nation is also a national radio show on SiriusXM channel 111, airing for two hours daily starting at 12 p.m. EST. You can also subscribe and download the daily podcasts at iHeart Podcasts.

[Feature Photo:Emergency vehicles are parked outside of the SSM Health clinic where parents are being reunified with children after a shooting at the Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., Monday, Dec. 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)]