Senior gymnast Kara Welsh, a national champion and two-time All-American, was shot and killed in her apartment on Friday evening. A suspect, Chad T. Richards, 23, has been arrested.
Flags flew at half-staff on Tuesday at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus in honor of senior gymnast Kara Welsh, who was tragically shot and killed in her apartment on Friday evening.
Welsh, 21, was a national champion and two-time All-American, according to a statement from the university. She was found by police with multiple gunshot wounds, the Whitewater Police Department said in a news release.
Rising Gymnastics Star Kara Welsh Tragically Murdered in Apartment
Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois, who was also found in the apartment, has been arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed. Richards is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
Coach Jen Regan released a statement on the UW-Whitewater athletics website, expressing the profound impact that Welsh had on the Warhawk community: "To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible. 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."
Rising Gymnastics Star Kara Welsh Tragically Murdered in Apartment
Authorities have said that Welsh and Richards knew each other and that an altercation had occurred between the two. Their relationship remains undisclosed.
Welsh, a Plainfield, Illinois, native, was studying business management at the university, where classes for the fall semester began on Tuesday.
Rising Gymnastics Star Kara Welsh Tragically Murdered in Apartment
Her athletic accomplishments were notable, particularly her exceptional performance in vaulting. According to a news release on the school's athletics website, Welsh held four of the top eight scores recorded by a Warhawk gymnast in program history.
In the wake of this tragedy, a GoFundMe campaign for the Welsh family, promoted by the school's athletics department, has raised over $34,000 as of Tuesday morning.
Rising Gymnastics Star Kara Welsh Tragically Murdered in Apartment
Colleagues, friends, and the wider community have expressed their condolences and support for Welsh's family and the Warhawk gymnastics team. Her legacy as a talented athlete and a shining light in the university community will continue to inspire and uplift those who knew her.
