The tragic shooting at Abundant Life Christian School in Madison, Wisconsin, on Tuesday, has left two dead, six injured, and the nation reeling. But in the wake of the horrific attack, a different kind of firestorm has erupted—not about the shooter’s actions, but Natalie Rupnow‘s identity.
Police chief Shon Barnes, addressing reporters hours after the attack, found himself at the center of a fierce social media debate when he fielded a question about the shooter’s gender. The shooter, identified as 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow, who also went by Samantha, opened fire in a study hall before taking her own life. However, Barnes’ handling of the pronoun question during the press conference sparked outrage, with critics accusing him of prioritizing “wokeness” over clarity.
“She, He, or They”: Barnes defends neutral stance
When asked if the shooter was transgender, Barnes responded: “I don’t know whether the shooter was transgender or not. I don’t think that whatever happened today has anything to do with how she or he or they may have wanted to identify. And I wish people would kind of leave their own personal biases out of this.”
He added, “Whether or not she was, he was, they were transgender is something that may come out later — but for what we’re doing right now, today, literally eight hours after a mass shooting in a school in Madison, it is of no consequence at this time.”
The statement, meant to downplay the relevance of gender identity, instead unleashed a torrent of criticism online, with many accusing Barnes of political correctness at the expense of transparency.
Social media explodes
Social media users were quick to pounce on Barnes’ remarks, with many calling his use of multiple pronouns inappropriate and misleading.
“This is exactly what’s wrong with today’s society,” one user posted. “The woke agenda is so out of control that even in a tragic situation, they prioritize their own political correctness over clarity and truth.”
“How could he say this with a straight face?” another wrote. “Of course, it matters because it could provide a context as to their motivation to kill others and Christians at that.”
“The woke brigade strikes again,” one commenter added. “A mass shooting, and this clown is fumbling pronouns like it’s a diversity seminar.”
Another user expressed frustration with Barnes’ tone: “He dishonors that uniform.”
“This is disgusting that police are taking the time to be respectful to a cold-blooded murderer and make sure the right pronoun is used,” read another comment.
Some users also alleged a deliberate effort to obscure the shooter’s identity, tying it to a broader narrative about bias in media and law enforcement. “If they don’t identify the shooter right away to the media, then most likely it was a trans person. This is the only time they hide it,” one user claimed, listing previous mass shootings where the suspects’ gender identities were scrutinized.
Others mocked the situation outright: “The woke brigade strikes again. A mass shooting, and this clown is fumbling pronouns like it’s a diversity seminar.”
Defenders step in
While the backlash dominated the conversation, some defended Barnes’ approach, suggesting that legal constraints and sensitivity surrounding minors played a role in his comments.
“Regarding a minor in Wisconsin, you can’t talk about anything to the press regarding a minor unless she’s tried as an adult,” one user pointed out. “I think that’s why he avoided that question.”
Others accused critics of twisting Barnes’ words to stir outrage. “That’s a disingenuous argument,” one user argued. “He didn’t use all those pronouns to describe the shooter; he said it didn’t matter to him which they used.”
Broader implications
The pronoun controversy has overshadowed the devastating reality of the shooting, where a teacher and another student lost their lives, and six others were injured. Students were locked in classrooms during the attack, with one second grader making the 911 call that alerted police.
President Joe Biden called for stricter gun control laws, saying, “It is unacceptable that we are unable to protect our children from this scourge of gun violence. We cannot continue to accept it as normal.”
But online, the focus has shifted to identity politics and questions about how authorities communicate in the wake of mass shootings. As one frustrated commenter put it: “Why do they try so hard to confuse people about the gender? It immediately makes me not trust the police chief.”
