A California man, Alexander Paffendorf, has been busted for allegedly plotting with Wisconsin school shooter Natalie ‘Samantha’ Rupnow to carry out a coordinated attack. Authorities said the 20-year-old from Carlsbad, California, was detained yesterday by FBI agents after agents discovered his involvement in planning an attack on government buildings in association with the tragic school shooting last week in Wisconsin.
Paffendorf was arrested after an emergency gun violence restraining order was issued by the San Diego court. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that the FBI had received credible information that Paffendorf had been in communication with Rupnow, 15, to discuss his plans to attack a government building.
The restraining order also showed that Paffendorf admitted to the FBI that he had told Rupnow that he would go armed with explosives and a gun to carry out the attack.
The FBI confirmed Paffendorf’s link to the crime, as it found messages that he and Rupnow had exchanged regarding the planned assault. After his arrest, a San Diego judge authorized the restraining order that obliged Paffendorf to hand over all his firearms and ammunition and not to buy more.
Paffendorf Arrest Scene
According to a report by CBS 8, dozens of police cars entered Paffendorf’s apartment complex and were visibly armed as the officers approached his complex. A neighbor, Alex Gallegos, narrated how he saw law enforcers carry what he called a big “black gun box” from the building. As reported, though the officers remained in high numbers throughout, Gallegos did not observe any arrest, except when the officers were spotted high-fiving each other after concluding their operation.
Paffendorf is set to appear in court on January 3, wherein the authorities will detail all the information about his alleged implication in the plot.
Incident Of School Shooting At Wisconsin
The case involving Paffendorf is tied to the tragic events that unfolded at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin, where Natalie Rupnow carried out a mass shooting. On the morning of the incident, Rupnow fatally shot Substitute Coordinator Erin West, 42, and 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara before turning the weapon on herself. Six others were wounded, two critically.
Authorities in Wisconsin are still working to determine the motive behind Rupnow’s actions. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said the shooting seemed to be a “combination of factors,” and while there was speculation over whether certain individuals were targeted, the police confirmed that everyone in the school was placed on an equal playing field.
According to Lyndsay O’Connor, mother of two survivors, Rupnow might have targeted a teacher who was absent on that day, though the authorities haven’t confirmed this theory. It was also discovered that Rupnow carried two handguns during the attack but only used one to shoot the victims.
Investigations On Rupnow’s Background
It remains unclear what Rupnow’s motives were, but the authorities are focused on understanding her background. Police are looking into whether her parents had a role in the events that led to the shooting. According to reports, the teenager’s father, Jeff Rupnow, has been cooperative with the investigators, and police raided the family home in Wisconsin as part of their ongoing investigation.
It is still unknown how Rupnow managed to acquire the weapons used in the attack. The police are continuing their investigation, and Chief Barnes has stated that they may never know what made the young shooter do this, but they will continue to gather as much information as possible.
ALSO READ | ‘Women Are Delicate Flowers Than Housemaids’: Iran’s Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
