California man detained in connection with Wisconsin school shooting, records show

MILWAUKEE — A 20-year-old California man has been detained on suspicion of “plotting” to coordinate a mass shooting at a government building in conjunction with the Madison school shooter, according to court records.

FBI agents detained Alexander Paffendorf, of Carlsbad, California, according to an emergency gun violence restraining order reviewed by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, part of USA TODAY Network. Authorities in Wisconsin said Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, 15, shot and killed a student and teacher, and injured six others, at Abundant Life Christian School earlier this week.

The detainment was first reported by CBS 8 on Wednesday.

“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,” the order says.

According to the order, FBI agents “saw the messages from Paffendorf to Rupnow.”

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In an interview with the Journal Sentinel Wednesday evening, Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said he did not have information about the arrest in California and referred questions to the FBI. A spokesperson for the FBI’s San Diego field office declined to comment.USA TODAY reached out to the Carlsbad Police Department on Wednesday for comment.

A San Diego judge approved the order on Tuesday. It orders Paffendorf to surrender any firearms and ammunition and prohibits him from getting more.

Not long after the judge signed the order, Paffendorf’s neighbors in Carlsbad saw more than a dozen police cars enter the apartment complex, according to CBS 8. “They had their full guns out all over the street,” neighbor Alex Gallegos told the station. “There were cop cars. I’d say about 15 cops here.”

A court hearing for Paffendorf is scheduled for Jan. 3.

Authorities said Rupnow, a freshman at Abundant Life Christian School, brought two handguns to school on Monday but appears to have only used one in the attack.

(This story was updated to add new information.)