A teenager who allegedly committed a fatal shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin on Monday morning, December 16, has been identified as 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, a student at the school. Rupnow brought a gun onto campus and opened fire, killing a teenage student and a teacher and wounding six other people. Two of the injured students were in critical condition with life-threatening injuries, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said, according to the New York Post.

Rupnow, who suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was reportedly pronounced dead on the way to the hospital, Barnes confirmed, but also questioned how the girl was able to get hold of the gun she used to shoot. “Every child, every person in this building is a victim and will forever be a victim. … We need to figure out and try to piece together what exactly happened,” Barnes said.

Who was Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow?

Rupnow carried out the fatal shooting in a classroom containing students from different grades. A supposed manifesto with radical and hateful views has surfaced online, claiming it belongs to her. However, Barnes said police have not yet confirmed the document.

“We haven’t been able to verify whether it’s authentic, but we definitely know it was published,” he said. He added that his department is currently working with the FBI to review the contents of the document.

Investigators have not yet determined the motive for the shooting. After the shooting occurred, a second-grader in a nearby classroom called 911 for help. Barnes said officers managed to reach the school in just about three minutes.

Barnes said there is no indication at this point that Rupnow’s parents committed a crime. He also addressed online rumors and speculation that the shooter was transgender, emphasizing that her identity was not important. Posts on X even claimed that Rupnow was “taught to hate men” and called her a “troubled feminist.”

“Whether she was transgender or not, he was, they were transgender, may come out later, but for what we’re doing right now, today, literally eight hours after a mass shooting at a school in Madison, it has no consequences.” at this point,” he said.

Barbara Wiers, a principal, praised the school’s students, saying they “behaved excellently” during the incident. She added that the tragedy had “shattered our school community.”