WHITEWATER − In this college town in southern Wisconsin, the days following the killing of Kara Welsh have prompted action, shock and attempts at making sense of it.
One Whitewater business owner wondered whether there were signs. Another called it shocking in the typically peaceful town. And on the University of Wisconsin – Whitewater campus, students said it was a tragic event on the minds of many students on the first days of its fall semester.
The 21-year-old student and gymnastics champion from Plainfield, Illinois, was only days away from beginning her senior year at the college when she was shot and killed on Friday night, according to Whitewater police. Authorities identified fellow student and former collegiate wrestler Chad T. Richards as the suspect.
On Tuesday, a Walworth County Circuit Judge set Richards' bond at $1 million during a hearing. Official charges against Richards did not appear in an online record search Wednesday.
"She was the strongest person I know, both physically and mentally," Kara’s younger sister Kaeli Welsh said during the court hearing. "She had so much more to give the world than gymnastics."
More: What we know and don't know about the fatal shooting of champion gymnast Kara Welsh
Community of Whitewater reacts to tragic killing
Whitewater rests on the edge of the Kettle Moraine State Forest roughly 60 miles southwest of Milwaukee. Its population is about 15,000, with UW-Whitewater's student body nearly 11,000.
The city draws some tourists during the summer. But the community comes alive when the throng of students arrive every year over the Labor Day weekend to begin classes.
Holly Barnett, a former UW-Whitewater student and owner of Stellar Vintage, said Welsh’s death was “shocking" because crime is not common.
“Being as small as it is, there’s really not much that goes on as far as crime goes,” she said. “It’s pretty peaceful here for the most part. I think that’s why people like Whitewater. It feels safe.”
Barnett and others described the city as a quiet one.
The Book Teller is located on Main Street, about two blocks from Barnett's store. Its owner, Karen McCulloch, worried the man Whitewater police allege is involved in Welsh's death is part of a broader problem of men not being able to manage their emotions.
“I don’t feel like we’ve done our due diligence with men,” she said. “Now or in prior generations. I feel like that has got to change.”
McCulloch said she recognized Welsh as someone who had been in the store before, but did not know her personally.
"I'm just deeply sad. It really hit our downtown community hard," she said.
Where criminal case stands against Richards
Richards is a former UW-Whitewater wrestler — a member of the 2020-21 and 2021-22 wrestling teams, his freshman and sophomore years, according to the college's wrestling roster.
Whitewater police previously said Welsh's death evolved from an altercation between Welsh and Richards. Police say they knew each other.
Whitewater police have requested charges from the District Attorney's office of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed.
University community takes Welsh’s death with 'great loss'
On Wednesday, one day after the semester began, it was still lively with early semester energy. Blocks from campus, some students threw a football in the front lawn, while on campus, campus activity groups pushed for engagement from students milling about between classes.
Most students told the Journal Sentinel Welsh’s death was a frequent topic of discussion since they returned to classes. The university sent out a statement alerting students of her death and offered counseling to gymnastic team members and other resources to students. Flags on campus remained at half-staff in Welsh's honor.
Freshman Greyson Cramer said a moment of silence for Welsh was held during a welcome ceremony.
A university spokesperson told the Journal Sentinel the school’s gymnastics team and coaches would not be talking with media about Welsh’s death.
Welsh was a national champion and two-time All-American gymnast. She was one of the most decorated gymnasts in Whitewater history.
She competed in floor and vault, according to her roster page on the UW-Whitewater athletics website. Welsh holds four of the eight highest vault scores in Whitewater program history; she is tied for the highest vault score in program history.
In 2023, she won the individual title in vault at the national division three competition.
"To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible," Whitewater gymnastics coach Jen Regan said in a statement. "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."
According to a December Instagram post from the Whitewater gymnastics team, Welsh was pursuing a bachelor's of business administration with a sports management emphasis.
In that post, she was cited as wanting to help people and be a bodybuilding coach. She discussed her love of finding “goodies” at Kwik Trip and her favorite campus spot was the weight room.
Maddison Carl, a sophomore majoring in accounting and who did not know Welsh, was working at the weight room’s front desk on Wednesday. She said Welsh’s death is frequently being discussed on campus.
While she didn’t know her, she has friends on the university’s gymnastics team and said they have taken the loss hard.
“A lot of people took it as a very great loss,” Carl said. “That was one of our own kind.”
Haley McKeon, a senior in marketing, said she lived down the street from where the shooting occurred, but didn’t know Welsh.
“It’s definitely unexpected,” she said.
Community offers support to family: 'I feel compelled to act'
While Welsh's death is shocking to many residents, the community also is rallying around the tragedy, said Kati Wimer and Karin Silvius, co-directors of local tourism organization, Discover Whitewater.
The organization runs a weekly outdoor market and Wimer said a vendor was collecting proceeds to donate to a Welsh family GoFundMe.
“Everyone I’ve talked to this far has just said 'it’s just tragic,’ and their hearts are with the family,” she said.
Meanwhile, the bookshop owner McCulloch planned to donate a portion of sales on Saturday to the Welsh family and said other businesses have done the same.
The GoFundMe was created to help Welsh’s family — parents Tom and Nancy and sister Kaeli — with funeral expenses. Over $39,000 has been raised for the family, and the fundraiser hopes to raise $40,000.
Anyone with information relevant to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Whitewater Police Department at 262-473-0555, option #4. Anonymous tips may also be shared using P3Tips.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Whitewater students, residents shocked by murder of All-American gymnast Kara Welsh
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