Two deadly school shootings separated by distance but connected through social media have shocked communities across America.
According to the New York Post, law enforcement sources revealed that Solomon Henderson, the 17-year-old Nashville school shooter who took his own life after killing a fellow student on Wednesday, appeared to have been in contact with Natalie "Samantha" Rupnow, another teen shooter who carried out a similar attack in Madison, Wisconsin.
The investigation has uncovered disturbing online interactions between the two teens, with Rupnow following Henderson's social media activities before her deadly rampage in December.
Henderson's Bluesky account posted an edited image of Rupnow just one day before the shooting, though investigators have not specified which attack the post preceded. The same account also mentioned plans for a coordinated shooting with another person.
Both teenagers displayed an alarming fascination with infamous school shootings across America. Their online search histories showed mutual interest in the Parkland, Florida massacre. Henderson's Pinterest account contained posts about the Uvalde, Texas tragedy, while Rupnow focused on the Columbine school shooting.
The 17-year-old Henderson left behind a disturbing 51-page manifesto expressing violent antisemitic views and self-loathing related to his race. His document revealed his identification as an incel, which he blamed on his appearance and racial background.
Law enforcement officials are examining the extent of communication between the two shooters, who carried out their attacks approximately 600 miles apart. The investigation aims to determine whether their online connection influenced their decisions to commit violence.
The sequence of events began with Rupnow's attack in Madison, Wisconsin, which claimed two lives before she turned the weapon on herself. One month later, Henderson carried out his assault at Antioch High School in Nashville.
Henderson arrived at school by bus on Wednesday morning, concealing himself in a bathroom before emerging with a handgun. The attack unfolded in the school cafeteria, where he confronted and fatally shot 16-year-old Josselin Corea Escalante.
During the shooting, another student sustained an arm injury from gunfire, while a third suffered facial injuries unrelated to gunshots. Security footage captured the final moments of the incident as students and staff sought cover from the gunfire.
The parallels between these two cases extend beyond their online connection. Both perpetrators demonstrated neo-Nazi ideological influences through their digital presence and ultimately chose to end their own lives after carrying out their attacks.
Their shared characteristics and timing have prompted authorities to conduct a deeper investigation into potential coordination or influence between the two shooters. The discovery of their online interaction adds another layer of complexity to the understanding of these tragic events.
The case highlights growing concerns about the role of social media in connecting individuals with violent intentions and the potential for online radicalization among young people.
