The teacher and student who were shot and killed on Monday at Madison’s Abundant Life Christian School were identified as 42-year-old teacher Erin West and 14-year-old student Rubi Vergara by the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Vergara was a freshman at the school. The two were determined to have died due to “homicidal firearm related trauma” from another student shot, who died from self-inflicted wounds.
Two students who were injured in the shooting remain in the hospital with life-threatening injuries while three students and a teacher who were also injured have been released from area hospitals.
Police determined the freshman shooter opened fire in a mixed-grade study hall classroom on Monday. Two guns were found at the school but only one – a handgun – was used in the shooting, according to Madison Police.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced the weapons but police are not releasing the results of that search at this point.
“Detectives are still working to determine a motive,” Madison Police said in a statement. “As in any investigation, they are reviewing the shooter’s social media activity and evidence collected at her home. They are aware of the documents and photos circulating around the internet and are working to verify their authenticity.”
After the shooting, officers went to the shooter’s home and entered the residence without a warrant due to concerns of the physical well-being of anyone inside. Officers later received consent to search the residence.
