Another School Shooting, Should Parents Be Charged

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Another school shooting, another community shattered. This time, it’s in Madison, Wisconsin, where a 15-year-old girl, Natalie Rupnow, took a gun into a private Christian school and opened fire. It is alleged that she killed two people, injured several others, and ultimately turned the gun on herself.

As always, the conversation quickly circles back to the same debates: gun control, mental health, school security, and parenting. This case, though, adds a unique angle. Apparently, Natalie’s father took his daughter to the firing range at least once, thanks to him posting it on Facebook. And I don’t think that is a crime.

Wisconsin school shooter Natalie Rupnow’s father shared a chilling image of his daughter practicing at a shooting range in a similar T-shirt to one worn by the Columbine school shooters.

Jeff Rupnow posted the snap to his public Facebook page in August. His daughter is filmed pointing a rifle at a clay puck wearing a black top emblazoned with the name of the band KMFDM.

Columbine killer Eric Harris was seen wearing a KMFDM T-shirt ahead of the 1999 Colorado high school massacre where 13 were murdered. – The Daily Mail

Whether or not that proves his enthusiasm for guns is questionable, but I suppose if you are making trips to a firing range, you must have some sort of interest in firearms.

So now, are we going to question if it is okay to take your teenagers to the gun range to teach them about firearm safety and how to use them correctly? In the state of Wisconsin, it appears that a minor can indeed “possess” a firearm at a range as long as an adult is present with them.

This question of holding parents responsible feels almost impossible to answer. Not everything is cut and dry.

On one hand, it’s easy to say yes—parents are raising their kids, so they should be held accountable when their children do something horrific. But is it really that straightforward?

In Natalie’s case, we don’t yet know if the gun she used belonged to her father or how she got her hands on it. But let’s say it did come from home. Should her dad face criminal charges for not securing it properly? I say yes. In Wisconsin, it is a misdemeanor to leave a loaded gun unsecured and in the reach of a child under 14 years of age.

A lot of speculation is swirling around on the internet. We do not know any facts yet. What we do know, or what is being reported, is that the 15-year-old Rupnow had a gun and killed two people in a school and then killed herself.

Earlier this year, James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, the Oxford High School shooter in Michigan, were charged with involuntary manslaughter after their son killed four students and injured others in a 2021 school shooting.

Prosecutors argued the Crumbleys ignored clear warning signs of their son’s instability, including violent drawings and disturbing behavior at school, and that they failed to secure the firearm Ethan used—one they had recently purchased for him as a gift.

Their case set a legal precedent by holding parents criminally responsible for a school shooting, sparking debates about parental accountability and gun safety.

But here’s the thing: this case goes beyond just leaving a gun lying around. Natalie wasn’t just a curious kid who stumbled across a weapon. She was actively trained to use one. At least, according to that one Facebook post her dad had on his Facebook account.

He might have thought he was doing something good—teaching her responsibility, giving her a hobby, or simply spending quality time together.

Then there’s the question of whether parents should recognize when their child is in trouble. School shooters almost always show red flags beforehand—depression or aggression, for example. If Natalie’s dad noticed anything like this and ignored it, does that make him complicit? Or the mother?

The last photo posted on Jeff Rupnow’s Facebook page was of his daughter at a shooting range. In the photo’s comments section, he said, “We joined NBSC this spring and we have been loving all every second of it!”

Jeff Rupnow’s social media said he was single, and his Facebook page was filled with photos of his daughter and his dogs. Mellissa Rupnow’s page, which has since been deleted or set to private, showed less information, containing a profile picture and a photo of a trip to Florida. – Newsweek

Charging parents sends a strong message: if you’re going to own a firearm, you’d better take every precaution to ensure it doesn’t end up being used in a crime. But it’s also a slippery slope.

If you start holding parents responsible for school shootings, where does it end? What about parents of kids who bully others to the point of suicide? Or parents of drunk drivers?

Not every parent is a “bad parent” just because their child makes a terrible choice.

Whether Natalie Rupnow’s father should be charged depends on what the investigation uncovers. The police say both parents cooperate and will not be charged, but I feel that will change soon.

Investigators are still working to determine a motive, and have been interviewing the shooter’s father, Barnes said.

At this point, he said, there is no reason to believe her parents committed a crime.

Barnes questioned how Rupnow was able to get her hands on the gun leading up to the deadly school shooting. – New York Post

Someone is going to want justice in this, and the shooter is dead; a 15-year-old girl who took a gun to school murdered two people and injured six others.

What do you think? Should parents face charges in cases like this, or is it unfair to blame them for their child’s actions?

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