Teacher, student killed in Wisconsin school shooting identified
A teacher and student killed in a shooting earlier this week at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, were identified Wednesday by authorities.
The Dane County Medical Examiner's Office said in a news release provided to CBS News that 42-year-old Erin West and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara were fatally shot Monday morning at Abundant Life Christian School.
Preliminary examinations determined the two died of "homicidal firearm related trauma." Both were pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner said.
An online obituary on a local funeral site stated Vergara was a freshman who leaves behind her parents, one brother, and a large extended family. It described her as "an avid reader" who "loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band."
Vergara had been a student at Abundant Life since kindergarten, the school disclosed in its own statement late Wednesday night.
"Her gentle, loving, and kind heart was reflected in her smile," the statement read. "Rubi was a blessing to her class and our school. She was not only a good friend, but a great big sister."
The school disclosed that West had spent three years as a substitute teacher at Abundant Life before accepting a staff position as a "sub coordinator and in-building substitute teacher."
"Her loss is a painful and deep one and she will be greatly missed not just among our staff, but our entire ALCS family," it said.
The medical examiner, meanwhile, also confirmed that a preliminary autopsy found that the suspected shooter, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow — a student at the same school — was pronounced dead at a local hospital Monday of "firearm related trauma." Madison Chief of Police Shon F. Barnes had previously told reporters that Rupnow was pronounced dead while being transported to a hospital.
Police had also earlier stated that she was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting at the private Christian K-12 school was reported just before 11 a.m. Monday. In addition to the two people killed and the shooter, six others were wounded.
Police said the shooting occurred in a classroom where a study hall was taking place involving students from several grades.
On a Madison city website providing details about the shooting, police reported Wednesday that two guns were found at the school, but only one was used. A law enforcement source previously told CBS News the weapon used appears to have been a 9 mm pistol.