The family of the student victim in the Wisconsin school shooting has been identified as 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara.
Vergara, as mentioned in an obituary released by her family, was tragically one of the three individuals who lost their lives when 15-year-old Natalie ‘Samantha’ Rupnow carried out a shooting in a study hall on Monday.
A still unidentified teacher was also killed before Rupnow turned the gun on herself. Six others were wounded, two left in critical condition.
According to the obit, Vergara was a freshman at the Christian school, who loved reading, art, singing and playing keyboard.
Her family – parents Vicente and Jennifer; and brother, Adrian – had their own worship band in which she played.
‘She shared a special bond with her beloved pets, Ginger (cat) and Coco (dog),’ the tribute adds.
The funeral will be held on Sunday in Madison. The family has asked for donations to the school in lieu of flowers.
Vergara is the first victim of the shooting to have been identified, as Madison police have gone silent on further details Wednesday.
The family of the student victim in the Wisconsin school shooting has been identified as 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara
A spokesperson for Madison PD told DailyMail.com in a statement: ‘Due to Marsy’s Law in Wisconsin, we cannot provide the names of victims.’
The city’s police chief disclosed on Wednesday that Rupnow was in possession of two handguns during the incident, although she used only one in the attack.
Police don’t know if anyone was targeted in the attack or if the attack had been planned in advance, the chief said.
‘I do not know if she planned it that day or if she planned it a week prior,’ Barnes, the police chief, commented. ‘To me, bringing a gun to school with the intention of harming others is premeditated. Hence, we are uncertain about the level of premeditation involved.’
While Rupnow had two handguns, Barnes said he does not know how she obtained them and he declined to say who purchased them, citing the ongoing investigation.
Police were still investigating why the 15-year-old student at Abundant Life Christian Christian School in Madison shot and killed a fellow student and teacher on Monday, before shooting herself, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said.
Two other students who were shot remained in critical condition on Wednesday.
‘We may never know what she was thinking that day, but we we´ll do our best to try to add or give as much information to our public as possible,’ Barnes said.
Authorities raided the Rupnow’s Wisconsin home after Monday morning’s tragedy, and Natalie’s father has been reportedly compliant with the ongoing investigation.
Investigators have been trying to figure out if the mass shooter’s parents, Jeff and Melissa, had any involvement or contributed to Natalie’s actions – which left two people dead and six injured before she shot and killed herself.
Police said Natalie’s motivation for killing a student, a teacher and injuring several others during study hall seems to have been a ‘combination of factors.’
‘Some have asked if people were specifically targeted. Everyone was targeted in this incident, and everyone was put in equal danger,’ Barnes said, according to CNN.
Lyndsay O’Connor, a mother of two survivors, speculated that the regular study hall teacher, who was not there due to a ‘planned absence,’ may have been Natalie’s target. Her idea has not been verified by police.
‘We don’t know if her target was the original teacher or just the kids in the class. She would have had to walk by the door and the door was open,’ O’Connor said.
Barnes on Wednesday defended the police department’s handling of information about the shooting because it has moved from a crisis response to the investigation phase.
‘We´ve been trying to be as transparent as possible to give as much information as we can during the critical phase of this incident,’ Barnes said.
‘Now we´re in the investigative phase. And so the information may not be as forthcoming.’
Abundant Life is a nondenominational Christian school – prekindergarten through high school – with approximately 420 students.
This is a breaking news story, refresh for updates.
