Father of Madison school shooter set for trial after appeal dismissal

MADISON, Wisconsin – A trial for the man accused of providing his daughter with the gun she used to open fire at Abundant Life Christian School in 2024 will move forward, after an appeals court rejected his motion to dismiss the charges against him.

Wisconsin’s 4th District Appeals Court on July 8 rejected the attempt to have the charges dismissed, according to court documents. Samuel Christiensen, Clerk of Court of Appeals, said in a notice that the claims used by his defense did not meet standards necessary for the case to be dismissed.

“We are not persuaded that these criteria were satisfied,” the letter says.

Jeffrey Rupnow’s daughter, Natalie Rupnow, 15, died by suicide after she opened fire inside the school on Dec. 16, 2024. She was connected to an emerging, troubling trend of online communities that foster hate and obsess over violence.

Jeffrey Rupnow is charged with two counts of intent to sell a dangerous weapon to a person under 18 and one felony count of contributing to a child’s delinquency. His trial is scheduled to begin with jury selection on March 8 and continue through March 19, online court records show.

Teacher Erin West, 42, and freshman Rubi Vergara, 14 were killed in the shooting. Six others were wounded.

Natalie Rupnow was armed with a .22 caliber sig Sauer and a Glock handgun.

Both of the firearms were purchased by Jeffrey Rupnow, with his daughter helping him pay for one, according to authorities. Rupnow told authoriteis he believed his daughter had retrieved one from his gun safe and another may have been left out after it was cleaned the day before the shooting.

Rupnow attempted earlier this year to have the case against him dismissed by Dane County Circuit Court Judge Ellen Berz, who denied the motion.

Rupnow’s next court hearing will be held on Sept. 28.