The teacher slain in the Wisconsin school shooting has been identified as Erin Michelle West, 42, the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office revealed on Wednesday night.
According to Abundant Life Christian School’s staff directory, West worked as a substitute coordinator, the Journal Sentinel said.
Earlier Wednesday evening, Rubi Vergara, 14, was identified as the student killed in Monday’s tragic incident.
Police identified 15-year-old Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow as the shooter at the Christian school, but have yet to establish the cause for the crime.
West and Vergara were pronounced dead on the scene.
The medical examiner’s office confirmed to The Independent that West and Vergara died from gunshot wounds.
Their deaths are still being investigated by the Madison Police Department and the Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Charles Moore, the leader of Madison Christian schools, told the Sentinel at a vigil on Tuesday night that the community was stunned.
“It’s hard to comprehend the shock,” Moore said. “There are still several extremely seriously damaged children in the hospital. It does not end on the first day, or even in the first few minutes. “Lives have been torn apart.”
Moore announced that the school would stay closed until after the Christmas holiday.
The Madison Police Department released a statement following the identification of the two gunshot victims.
“Our department is committed to transparency and will continue to release information that can be used to improve public safety,” the Facebook message read.
“However, we must balance this with our dedication to the victims and survivors of the shooting at Madison’s Abundant Life Christian School. This shooting resulted in two deaths and six injuries. Additionally, evidence reveals that the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Police said the event is now being investigated, and any information disclosed would be “limited.”
“This phase takes time,” the statement continued. “We know that individuals have questions, and we will respond to them in due course. Until then, please keep the victims and survivors in mind, and respect their right to privacy.”
Police previously declined to release the victims’ identities.
When asked about their identities at a press conference on Tuesday, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway stated that it was “absolutely none of y’all’s business who was harmed in this incident.”