Two victims of the Wisconsin school shooting have been identified, while a man has also been detained in connection with the murders.
The tragic school shooting unfolded Monday morning at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, leaving two dead and six injured, including four students.
The suspected shooter has since been identified as 15-year-old Natalie 'Samantha' Rupnow.
The shooting occurred at 10:57AM, as students were gearing up for their final week of school before the holiday break, according to CNN.
Law enforcement arrived on the scene within minutes.
A Dane County Sheriff’s deputy and a Madison police officer entered the building to confront the situation, while medics training nearby provided vital assistance to the wounded.
Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes confirmed that a teacher and a student lost their lives in the shooting.
Two other students remain in critical condition, while a teacher and two additional students sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The Dane County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed the identities of the two people who lost their lives in a news release on Wednesday, December 18.
The victims are 42-year-old Erin M. West, and 14-year-old Rubi Patricia Vergara, as reported by PEOPLE.
Both victims died due to "homicidal firearm-related trauma," according to preliminary autopsy results.
Vergara, a freshman, was described in her obituary as an “avid reader” with a passion for art, music, and singing. She played the keyboard in her family’s worship band and shared a special bond with her pets, Ginger and Coco.
West, who served as the school’s substitute coordinator, was remembered for her contributions to the Abundant Life Christian School community.
According to the New York Post, a 20-year-old man from Carlsbad, California, has been detained for allegedly plotting a mass shooting at a government building in coordination with Rupnow.
Alexander Paffendorf reportedly exchanged messages with Rupnow, according to a gun violence restraining order obtained by CBS 8.
The restraining order states that Paffendorf admitted to FBI agents that he had planned to arm himself with explosives and a gun to target an unspecified government building while Rupnow carried out her attack on the school.
“During an FBI interview, Paffendorf admitted to the FBI agents that he told Rupnow that he would arm himself with explosives and a gun and that he would target a government building,” the emergency order from the Carlsbad Police Department states.
The civil order, issued under California’s red flag law, does not specify which government building was allegedly targeted or the full extent of Paffendorf’s communications with Rupnow.
A judge approved the restraining order late Tuesday night, requiring Paffendorf to surrender all firearms and ammunition within 48 hours.
Soon after, neighbors reported seeing more than a dozen police cars descend on Paffendorf’s residence.
The messages exchanged between Paffendorf and Rupnow are being examined for clues about the high school freshman’s motive for her attack.