Kara Welsh Shooting: Everything We Know About Suspect

A suspect has been arrested in the fatal shooting of Kara Welsh, a 21-year-old gymnastics champion from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
On Sunday, the Whitewater Police Department announced that a 23-year-old male had been arrested in the fatal shooting, which occurred on Friday evening.
“The suspect, a 23-year-old male, has been arrested and confined in the Walworth County Jail. The following charges are being forwarded to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office at this time: First-Degree Intentional Homicide (Wis. Stat. 940.01(a)), Endangering Safety by the Use of a Dangerous Weapon (Wis. Stat. 941.20(1)(c)), and Disorderly Conduct while Armed (Wis. Stat. 947.01),” the Whitewater Police Department said in the press release.
Police did not provide any further details on the shooting but noted that Welsh and the suspect had previously known each other. They also noted that an altercation broke out between the two prior to the shooting.
Police did not provide the identity of the suspect arrested in the crime but they said the investigation into the incident is currently ongoing.
“The incident occurred at 147 W. Whitewater Street apartment #203. The victim in this case has been identified as 21-year-old Kara Welsh of Plainfield, Illinois. This information was previously withheld until next of kin was formally notified,” police said in the press release.
Over the weekend, the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater issued a statement in response to the death of Welsh.
“It is with great sadness that we announce a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student has passed away. Kara Welsh, age 21, from Plainfield, Illinois, died in a shooting off campus on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024,” the school said. “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,” the statement added.
The university is offering counseling to the gymnastics team and coaches, with school staff preparing to provide additional support and flexibility to students as classes begin on Tuesday.
The school’s gymnastics team also issued a statement which included remarks from the team’s coach, Jen Regan.
“To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible,” Regan said. “A powerful athlete, dedicated teammate, and the light in everyone’s dark days, Kara truly lifted each and every one of us up in her time as a Warhawk gymnast. There are no words to describe the void we all feel in our hearts, but Kara’s legacy will live on through Warhawk gymnastics forever.”
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.