Alleged Wisconsin school shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow reportedly had a rocky home life, according to court records, which show she was raised by parents who divorced one another three times before she was 12.
Her mother, Mellissa Rupnow, was divorced from another man when she first married the alleged killer’s father in 2011, according to court documents obtained by the Washington Post. She married Jeff Rupnow when Natalie was around 2 years old.
The Rupnows first divorced in 2014, those court papers show. They remarried in 2017, but divorced again in 2020. The pair gave it another shot months later, but were in divorce court once more by 2021, according to the Post.
The judge who granted that split reportedly “admonished” the duo with regards to marrying a fourth time.
The couple shared custody during each period of divorce, with both parents at different points taking responsibility for providing Natalie’s primary residence. She was sometimes moved to a different home every few days. By 2022, Natalie was enrolled in therapy, designed to help her navigate the constant changes.
It’s unknown if she was still in therapy in the days leading up to Monday’s shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. The 15-year-old suspected gunman is accused of killing a teacher and a student before turning the weapon on herself. Six other people were wounded, including two students who remained in critical condition on Wednesday.
Authorities have not offered a specific motive for the mass shooting, but said the deadly violence appears to have been motivated by a “combination of factors.” They’re investigating whether a possible “manifesto” may offer some insight.
Neither of Natalie’s parents have publicly commented on the tragedy. Police have said multiple times the family is cooperating with investigators.
One photo posted to her father’s Facebook page shows Natalie at a gun range while wearing a T-shirt promoting the German rock band KMFDM. Eric Harris, one of the 1999 Columbine school shooters, was also a fan of the band, who he praised for their “anti-authoritarian” messages.
Authorities said a 9mm handgun was used in Monday’s mass shooting. The weapon was not a rifle as seen in the Facebook photo.
It’s unclear how Natalie would have obtained a firearm. Investigators are looking into the origins of the weapon, which was found at the scene of the shooting. While they’re investigating whether her “parents may have been negligent,” police have so far said that “does not appear to be the case.”
