FBI agents questioned a Carlsbad man Tuesday who had allegedly been in contact with a Wisconsin school shooter and is suspected of telling the girl that he planned to attack a government building with explosives and a gun, according to a court document filed by Carlsbad police.
The information was provided in a gun violence emergency protective order filed against 20-year-old Alexander Charles Paffendorf, who authorities believe had been in contact with Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow. Authorities say Rupnow, a 15-year-old freshman, shot and killed a teacher and a fellow student and injured six others Monday at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wis., before fatally shooting herself.
“FBI agents stopped and detained Alexander Paffendorf (on Tuesday) after he was discovered plotting a mass shooting with the Madison Wisconsin shooter, Natalie ‘Samantha’ Rupnow,” a Carlsbad police officer wrote on the application for the protective order, which was first reported by CBS News 8. “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. FBI agents saw the messages from Paffendorf to Rupnow.”
San Diego Superior Court Judge Laura Duffy granted the protective order, which requires Paffendorf to surrender all firearms and ammunition that he might possess. The document indicates that just before 9 p.m. Tuesday, just minutes after the judge granted the order, Carlsbad police served it to Paffendorf at his family’s residence in Carlsbad.
The police officer who filled out the form checked boxes indicating that firearms were “reported” in his possession and “physically searched for.” But the officer left blank boxes that would indicate any firearms were observed or seized.
The document indicates Duffy set a court hearing for Jan. 3 at which Paffendorf can challenge the protective order. The judge has the option at that hearing to enforce the order for up to five years.
It was not clear Thursday if Paffendorf had been arrested, and if so whether he remained in custody. His name did not appear this week in San Diego County Sheriff’s Office arrest records or among an online database of inmates in San Diego County jails. His name also did not appear Thursday in online federal jail inmate records.
Paffendorf could not be reached for comment Thursday. His parents did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
An FBI spokesperson said the agency’s San Diego and Milwaukee field offices were assisting the Madison Police Department, which is leading the investigation. The spokesperson said the Carlsbad Police Department and other law enforcement agencies were also assisting.
“As this is an ongoing investigation, we do not have any further comment,” the FBI spokesperson said in a statement. “At this time, we are not aware of any ongoing threats associated with this matter in Wisconsin or California.”
A “facts and questions” page on the Madison Police Department website referred questions to the FBI. “What can you tell me about a person arrested in California potentially linked to this shooting?” the police department wrote. “Any questions about an arrest in San Diego will have to be directed to the FBI.”
A Carlsbad police spokesperson said she could not share details about the case because it was an ongoing investigation.
“Carlsbad is not the lead agency on this investigation, but we are in communication with our federal partners, and we do not believe there to be a threat to our city,” spokesperson Denise Ramirez said.
The nonprofit group San Diegans for Gun Violence Prevention issued a statement Thursday saying it was encouraged by the use of the gun violence restraining order in this case.
“This action demonstrates the critical importance of this tool in preventing tragedies,” the group said. “We commend Carlsbad law enforcement for their commitment to public safety and their swift action in detaining this individual and removing his firearms before he could move forward with his violent plans.”
Police in Madison have said they’re still investigating the motive for Monday’s shooting. “We may never know what she was thinking that day, but we’ll do our best to try to add or give as much information to our public as possible,” Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said Wednesday.
Police said the shooter brought two guns to the school but only fired one, a handgun. She opened fire on a study hall classroom with students from different grades. One person in an adjacent room was injured when a bullet went through the wall of the study hall.
Rubi Patricia Vergara, a 14-year-old freshman, was killed in the shooting, as was 42-year-old teacher Erin Michelle West. Authorities said Wednesday that two students remained critically injured, while a teacher and three other students had been treated for non-life-threatening injuries.