Kara Welsh gymnastics: Plainfield community mourns UW-Whitewater college gymnast fatally shot inside Wisconsin apartment

PLAINFIELD, Unwell. (WLS) — Tributes are pouring in Sunday for a 21-year-old lady from the southwest suburbs who was fatally shot Friday night time inside her school house in Wisconsin.

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The sufferer, Kara Welsh, was a adorned gymnast from Plainfield who was attending the College of Wisconsin Whitewater.

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The capturing occurred round 11:54 p.m. Friday at an off-campus house within the 100 block of West Whitewater Avenue in Whitewater, Wisconsin, the Whitewater Police Division stated.

Welsh was allegedly shot a number of occasions by a person who police consider she knew, however it isn’t clear what the connection between them was. There was an bodily altercation between the 2 contained in the house earlier than the capturing. Officers found Welsh lifeless on the scene.

The murder suspect is a 23-year-old man. He has was taken into custody when he was discovered on the house after the capturing, Whitewater police stated Saturday.

The suspect, who has not but been named by authorities, is going through a number of prices as he’s being held in a Walworth County jail. The costs embrace first-degree intentional murder, endangering security by means of a harmful weapon and disorderly conduct.

The college’s athletic director, Ryan Callahan, stated they knowledgeable the group of her tragic loss of life Saturday night time.

“Straight away, you simply knew there have been so many individuals impacted by Kara’s persona, her management and simply being an incredible teammate,” Callahan stated.

It is a loss that has hit near house for a lot of family members within the Plainfield space.

One among Welsh’s former coaches in Joliet, Nick Becker, who coached her for 9 years stated her family members are struggling to know the tragedy.

“You inform your children you make good selections and do the proper issues… issues will work out… then you definitely see one thing like this,” Becker stated. “She was making the proper selections and doing the proper stuff… it is simply laborious to wrap my head round.”

A childhood pal who grew up with Welsh in Plainfield, Sarah Torello, spoke to ABC7 on Sunday. Torello remembers, amongst different issues, taking part in on the trampoline collectively as children.

“My complete childhood, each reminiscence I’ve was just about along with her,” Torello stated. “We went to highschool collectively. We performed in my yard collectively. We ran round as children collectively. Each image I’ve along with her was simply one thing hilarious. She was the funniest particular person I knew… She was wonderful at [gymnastics].”

Welsh was heading into her senior 12 months on the College of Wisconsin Whitewater, the place she was majoring in administration whereas additionally main the gymnastics group to success.

“She was at all times in temper… at all times able to work and work laborious,” Becker stated. “Their mother and father clearly did the proper issues. She was respectful. She was a tough employee. She was child.”

UW-Whitewater college chancellor Corey King launched a press release Saturday on Welsh’s loss of life.

“It’s with nice disappointment that we announce a College of Wisconsin-Whitewater scholar has handed away. Kara Welsh, age 21, from Plainfield, Illinois, died in a capturing off campus on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024,” the assertion learn partly. “Kara was majoring in administration in our School of Enterprise and Economics and was a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics group, profitable a person nationwide title on the vault in 2023. We all know the information of Kara’s loss of life is heartbreaking for our close-knit college neighborhood. It’s a time after we are all referred to as upon to help each other, to course of, and to grieve.”

The gymnastics group additionally introduced Welsh’s loss of life in posts to social media on Saturday. They stated grief counselors have been available for help.

UW-Whitewater is scheduled to begin lessons on Tuesday. The capturing occurred close to Whitewater’s downtown space, the place there are numerous standard school bars.

There will likely be a remembrance Monday morning on the road in Plainfield the place the younger homicide sufferer grew up. Neighbors plan to tie white ribbons on a number of the timber close to the household’s home.

ABC affiliate WISN contributed to this report.