A chilling “manifesto” purportedly penned by 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, the shooter involved in a tragic incident at Abundant Life Christian School, has emerged online. This six-page document, currently under investigation by local authorities, reveals harrowing insights into the mind of the young girl who took the lives of a teacher and classmate before ending her own life on school grounds in Wisconsin.
In the manifesto, which bears the title “War Against Humanity,” Rupnow, who claimed her name was Samantha and denied being transgender as speculated in media reports, expressed a twisted rationale for her actions. She believed that taking others’ lives would somehow contribute to evolution, describing her suicide as a “stupid boring” option.
Rupnow idolized previous school shooters, lauding individuals like Pekka Eric Auvinen, who infamously killed seven classmates in Finland years ago. She referred to Arda Küçükyetim, a neo-Nazi responsible for a recent mass attack in Turkey, as her “ultimate saint,” highlighting a disturbing pattern of glorification of violence.
The document paints her past as one filled with deep-seated distress, claiming that she always felt like “the wrong child” in her family. She described her parents in harsh terms, alleging issues with substance abuse and a tumultuous marital history. Rupnow claimed that her mother had overdosed when she was just twelve, showcasing the instability she endured growing up.
She also recounted relentless bullying throughout her school journey, despite changing schools multiple times. Rupnow indicated that her access to firearms for the shooting was made possible through a web of “lies, manipulation, and my father’s stupidity,” suggesting that her father’s lack of oversight regarding a gun safe enabled her actions.
Before the shooting occurred, which unfolded in a mixed-grade study hall just before 11 AM, Rupnow’s harmful ideologies and grievances culminated in violence that shocked the local community. The attack left two students critically injured, along with four others wounded, leading to ongoing investigations and discussions about the broader issue of gun violence in schools.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes has indicated that the investigation will continue, while also commenting on the long-term impact of such tragedies on the community. He emphasized that every individual affected by the shooting is a victim of this horrific event. Meanwhile, Madison’s Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway lamented the prevalence of gun violence, urging collective action to prevent future incidents.
As the investigation progresses, federal and local authorities are carefully scrutinizing the contents of Rupnow’s manifesto as they seek to unravel the motivations behind this act of senseless violence. This latest incident continues to spark important conversations around mental health, access to firearms, and the need for systemic changes to ensure safety in educational environments.