Milwaukee — A 20-year-old California man has been arrested on suspicion of “plotting” to coordinate a mass shooting at a government building with the Madison school shooter, according to court documents.
Alexander Paffendorf of Carlsbad, California, was arrested by FBI agents, according to an emergency gun violence restraining order reviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a division of USA TODAY Network. Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, allegedly shot and murdered a pupil and teacher at Abundant Life Christian School earlier this week.
The detainment was first reported by CBS 8 on Wednesday.
“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,” according to the ruling.
The order stated that FBI agents “saw the messages from Paffendorf to Rupnow.”
In an interview with the Journal Sentinel Wednesday evening, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes stated that he had no information of the arrest in California and forwarded queries to the FBI. A spokesman from the FBI’s San Diego field office declined to comment.On Wednesday, USA TODAY reached out to the Carlsbad Police Department for comment.
The order was approved by a San Diego judge on Tuesday. It requires Paffendorf to forfeit all firearms and ammo and forbids him from obtaining more.
According to CBS 8, Paffendorf’s Carlsbad neighbors witnessed more than a dozen police cars entering the apartment complex shortly after the judge approved the order. “They had their full guns out all over the street,” neighbor Alex Gallegos told the news outlet. “There were police cars. I think there are roughly 15 cops here.”
Paffendorf’s court hearing is planned for January 3.
Authorities claimed Rupnow, a freshman at Abundant Life Christian School, brought two handguns to school on Monday but only used one during the incident.