Neighbors of Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow talk living near killer
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At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Adam De Wilde was emptying the garbage when he spotted something out of the ordinary.
About an hour and a half before, a student at the Abundant Life Christian School, which is located about eight miles from the neat three-bedroom house he shares with his wife in the Sherman Village area of Madison, Wisconsin, had tragically shot and killed a fellow student and a teacher, injuring six more people in the process.
However, De Wilde was not yet aware that his 15-year-old neighbor, Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who police wouldn't name publicly for several more hours, was behind the horrific violence.
"I noticed a large number of police cars—around eight to twelve, which is unusual for this area," De Wilde shared with The Independent. "... It's quite rare to spot even one police car with its lights flashing in this neighborhood."
On Tuesday, 45-year-old De Wilde observed the Madison Police Department's SWAT team as they placed what he described as a type of armored personnel carrier in front of a nearby house, almost directly opposite his own. He noted that a group of officers, heavily armed, sheltered behind the vehicle. The entry team remained behind the SWAT truck for quite a while before making their way to the house's door, where they detonated two explosive charges—one for the door and another for the window. Initially, De Wilde believed he was watching a drug operation unfold.
Images from the location revealed that the door was entirely ripped off its hinges, and a nearby window was broken due to the explosion.
Once the officers entered the building, De Wilde remembered it as a period of just "waiting, waiting, waiting."
In the end, De Wilde mentioned that the police brought out the Rupnow family's dog, a boxer that appeared in several pictures shared on social media by Natalie’s dad, Jeff. The dog had to be taken away by animal control.
"There wasn't anyone inside," De Wilde continued, relieved that what could have turned into another dangerous scenario ended up being just the opposite—completely uneventful.
Suzy De Wilde mentioned that she and her husband moved to the area around four years ago and that she frequently spotted Natalie Rupnow spending time at the park adjacent to their home.
"Every day as I wash my dishes, I catch sight of that house," she remarked. "It's unbelievable that the shooter resided there... Now, each day, I have to face that front door. How do you cope with having these constant reminders around you?"
The area remains cordoned off with crime scene tape as investigators continue their search for more evidence. Rupnow took her own life before law enforcement arrived and was later declared dead. Her parents, Jeff and Melissa Rupnow, are said to be working with the authorities. Abundant Life Christian School caters to around 400 students, ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade. A second-grade teacher was the first to contact 911 and notify the police about the tragic shooting that occurred during a combined grade study session shortly before 11 a.m. on Monday.
Rupnow, accused by the police of carrying out the 325th school shooting of 2024 with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, is one of the very few female school shooters on record. A supposed manifesto authored by her has come to light, but Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes, who has a background in public school teaching, stated that investigators have not confirmed its legitimacy.
"I spoke with a few other neighbors, and the feeling here is one of deep sorrow," Adam De Wilde shared. "It’s heartbreaking to realize that a child started their day by taking a gun and heading off to school, and that child lives nearby. Everyone is taken aback. This neighborhood is usually very peaceful."
Two students hurt in the horrific incident on Monday are still in serious condition, facing what officials are calling “life-threatening injuries.” Meanwhile, three students and one teacher were hospitalized with injuries that are not life-threatening; two of them have already been discharged, while the other two are stable. Detectives are still trying to figure out the motive behind the attack, according to Barnes.
Suzy De Wilde, a qualified paramedic employed at a local healthcare clinic, remarked that the shooting from yesterday has dominated conversations among both patients and staff.
“The flags are at half-mast, and it's painful,” she expressed. “Anyone I’ve spoken with seems to be feeling some anxiety or unease, and I think that feeling will stick around for a bit. I also noticed people on Facebook volunteering to send Uber Eats to the families impacted, but in reality, no one quite knows how to help.”
A previous colleague of Jeff Rupnow expressed their disbelief upon hearing about the shooting, and the revelation that his former coworker's daughter was involved made it even more difficult to understand.
"You never think something like that could occur in your community, and then you discover that you actually knew someone who was affected," Aaron Harter shared with The Independent. "You can never really tell what challenges others are facing."
When he returned home on Monday evening, Harter mentioned that he “held both my sons close.”
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County will be holding a candlelight vigil outside the State Capitol on Tuesday. Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Superintendent Joe Gothard from the Madison Metropolitan School District are expected to be present. The FBI and ATF are collaborating with the Madison Police Department as the investigation continues. In addition, the Dane County District Attorney's Office has brought together various resources, such as social workers, lawyers, and victim advocates, to support anyone who may need assistance.
At the same time, Suzy De Wilde focused on organizing a holiday celebration at her office on Tuesday morning, while the impact of yet another mass shooting still lingers in Madison.
"We don't have kids," she mentioned. "But if we were to have any, this is not the kind of world I would want for them."
