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Erin West, a teacher described by her students as “kind and caring,” was killed in the shooting at her Wisconsin school just before Christmas break.
West, 42, was a substitute coordinator at Abundant Life Christian School and had worked as a substitute teacher there before being promoted to her coordinator role.
According to CNN, West was a mother, and when reporters called the address linked to West seeking comment, according to the Associated Press, a man answered the phone and then hung up.
West died in that shooting along with 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara, who was shot during the school day by 15-year-old suspected shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow.
Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
Vergara is described in her obituary as “an avid reader who loved art, sang in the family worship band and played keyboard.”
Although Madison Wisconsin police said they would not release the names of the shooting victims because they are operating under Marsy's Law, which “provides additional rights for victims of crime in Wisconsin,” the names of the victims were released by Dane County Medical Examiner publishes office.
Why it matters
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, there were 205 school shootings in 2024.
According to Everytown's gun safety rankings, Wisconsin ranks 21st in the nation for its gun safety laws. While carrying a gun in a K-12 school is illegal and the state has child access prevention laws that require gun owners to properly store their weapons if they live with children under 14, there are Wisconsin has no required risk assessment for schools. The team helps identify students who may commit a shooting.
The state also does not require background checks to purchase a gun.
After that shooting, there were more calls from elected officials for Congress to sign federal gun control measures, as well as from a former trainer at Abundant Life who said, “We need more than just thoughts and prayers: we need action and policies, we need . “Discussions and hard decisions.”
What you should know
Madison police have named Rupnow as the perpetrator of the shooting at her private Christian school on Monday.
The shooting took place in a classroom full of students in different grades. There were three dead, including Rupnow, and six injured.
Madison police have revealed that Rupnow brought two handguns to school and used one of them in the shooting. Because the case is an ongoing investigation, no further information regarding the firearms is being released at this time.
Morry Gash/Associated Press
What people say
Mackynzie Wilson, a sophomore at Abundant Life, told CNN: “She was so excited to see her daughters grow up and see what they would be and do with their lives… She would have done anything for them… I just wish I could have gone back and given her a hug.”
Madison police said: “Investigators are working hard to determine the motive for the attack. If they can figure this out, it could shed light on whether there were specific targets. Everyone was targeted; everyone was put in the same danger.”
What happens next
The new Trump administration has not released guidelines on gun control.
In 2018, then-President Trump proposed a policy of arming teachers with their own weapons. This policy has not been implemented at the federal level and has not been viewed by gun control advocates as a solution to the problem at hand.
Vice President-elect JD Vance has said school shootings should be addressed with increased security and that they are committed by “psychos.”
