Over the weekend, authorities apprehended a suspect in connection with the tragic shooting of 21-year-old University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh at an off-campus apartment.
According to police, the 23-year-old man allegedly shot Welsh multiple times at an apartment near the university’s main campus on Friday.
The New York Post reports that while authorities have not disclosed the suspect’s name, they believe that Welsh was acquainted with him, although the nature of their relationship remains unclear.
Upon arriving at the scene just before midnight on Friday, officers discovered Welsh deceased with several gunshot wounds.
A statement from the police indicated that a 23-year-old male, known to the victim, was also present in the apartment and that an altercation had taken place between them leading up to the shooting.
The suspect has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety with a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed, as stated in a recent police announcement. The investigation is still ongoing, according to the authorities.
As she entered her final year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Welsh was pursuing a degree in management and was part of the Warhawk gymnastics team.
In a communication on Saturday, University Chancellor Corey King notified students and faculty about Welsh’s passing.
“Kara Welsh, age 21, from Plainfield, Illinois, died in a shooting off campus on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024,” he wrote.
“Kara was majoring in management in our College of Business and Economics and was a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team, winning an individual national title on the vault in 2023.
“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community.
“It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve.”
He additionally stated that UW-Whitewater students, faculty, and staff will receive counseling services to assist them during this challenging period.
Furthermore, the school will lower its flag to half-staff on September 3, marking the commencement of the fall semester, as a tribute to Welsh’s legacy.
In support of her family, a GoFundMe page has been established to assist her parents, Nancy and Tom Welsh, and her sister, Kaeli, during this tragic time.
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