‘Died protecting her class’: Teacher killed in Wisconsin school shooting was covering for another educator

The teacher killed in the harrowing school shooting in Wisconsin was covering for another educator who was on leave for vacation. On Tuesday, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow gunned down the substitute teacher and another student and injured five others at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison. In the mass shooting, the juvenile shooter was found dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to authorities, as reported by the Associated Press.

Substitute teacher ‘died protecting her class’ in Wisconsin school shooting

A parent whose daughter and son attend the school told Wisconsin Right Now that the substitute teacher was running a study hall for students when Rupnow opened fire. “The teacher died protecting her class. Many more lives could have been taken. She (Rupnow) sent off multiple rounds,” Lyndsay O’Connor said. The parent further revealed that the teen shooter “was very much to herself” and wore “a collared shirt with a tie, jeans, and combat boots” to school.

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Rupnow, who was known to her classmates as “Samantha” or “Sam,” “weirded out” O’Connor’s daughter, Mackynzie, who had a messy locker next to Rupnow’s “but she decided to be nice to her a month into school and to [begin] talking to her.” The juvenile shooter was known for regularly “pounding energy drinks.” The mother further said that Rupnow was “very isolated.”

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Described as an “odd version of preppie in a way” by O’Connor, Rupnow hung out with a group of friends who wore shirts and ties. The parent also said that she had a troubled family life and was constantly messaging her German boyfriend, whom she met over the internet. “She died a broken girl. She died unheard, and she found solace in a bunch of people who didn’t promote goodness,” O’Connor said.