A University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast was killed in shooting at off-campus apartment. Now a suspect is in custody

By Dakin Andone, CNN

(CNN) — A man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of a University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast this weekend in an off-campus apartment, days before the start of the fall semester.

UW-Whitewater’s chancellor confirmed Kara Welsh’s death Friday in a message to the school community, describing her as a “standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team.”

The 21-year-old rising senior from Plainfield, Illinois, won the national title on the vault last year at the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championship and was majoring in business management, according to the school’s athletic department.

“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community,” Chancellor Corey King wrote Saturday, three days before the first day of classes. “It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve.”

The suspect was identified by police Tuesday as Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois. He faces charges of first-degree homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed, according to Whitewater Police Chief Dan Meyer.

Richards has been ordered held on a $1 million cash bond. He appeared virtually at a hearing Tuesday, when a judge added a condition that Richards – whose attorney confirmed he is a senior at UW-Whitewater studying communications – not have physical contact with the campus in the event he posts bond. Richards is allowed contact with the school through the phone or electronic communication, the judge said.

Officers responded shortly before midnight Friday to an apartment off Main Street in Whitewater, about 50 miles west of Milwaukee, after receiving a report of a person who had been shot, Whitewater Police said in a news release. There, they found a woman, later identified as Welsh, with gunshot wounds. A 23-year-old man, “who was known” to Welsh, was also in the apartment, police said.

“Through investigation, it was determined that leading up to the shooting, an altercation had occurred between the two,” police said. The release did not describe the relationship between Welsh and Richards.

The university’s athletics department called Welsh a “phenom on the vault” who “excelled” in “high-pressure situations,” noting she held four of the top eight scores recorded for the vault in the school’s gymnastics program history.

“To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible,” said Jennifer Regan, the head coach of women’s gymnastics at UW-Whitewater. “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.”

Welsh’s older sister, Kaeli, spoke at the bond hearing, telling the court Kara was “a friend to everyone” and “the light of my life.”

“I’ve heard many people talk about Kara’s sports accolades, which do deserve to be celebrated,” Kaeli Welsh said. “But she had so much more to give to the world aside from gymnastics.”

A post on a GoFundMe page organized on behalf of Welsh’s family called the gymnast a “daughter, sister, dear friend and teammate” who was looking forward to her senior year.

“Kara had a unique ability to bring joy to any person she crossed paths with, always putting a smile on people’s faces with her sense of humor, unwavering support and sweet disposition,” the campaign said.

The university’s flag was to fly at half-staff in Welsh’s memory on Tuesday, said King, the UW-Whitewater chancellor. The university has made counseling services available to students, faculty and staff, and extra support and flexibility will be provided to students who need it.

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