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, 15, shot and killed a teacher and a teenage 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 Paffendor 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 signed the protective order Tuesday night, 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 signed the order, a Carlsbad officer served it to Paffendorf at his family’s residence in Carlsbad.
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 the FBI or Carlsbad police arrested Paffendorf, 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.”
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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.