Tragic Loss for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Gymnastics Community

Flags are flying at half-staff at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in memory 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. The Whitewater Police Department reported that she was found with multiple gunshot wounds.

Chad T. Richards, 23, of Loves Park, Illinois, was also found in the apartment and has been arrested.

“To put into words the impact Kara had on the Warhawk community is impossible,” Coach Jen Regan expressed in a statement on the UW-Whitewater athletics website.

“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.”

Authorities have indicated that Welsh and Richards were acquainted, and investigators have determined that “an altercation had occurred between the two.” However, the nature of their relationship has not been publicly disclosed.

Police have forwarded charges of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon, and disorderly conduct while armed to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office. Richards is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.

Welsh, originally from Plainfield, Illinois, was studying business management. The fall semester classes began on Tuesday.

A news release on the school athletics website highlighted Welsh as a “phenom on the vault,” noting her remarkable achievements, including four of the top eight scores recorded by a Warhawk gymnast in the program’s history.

As of Tuesday morning, a GoFundMe campaign for the Welsh family, promoted by the school athletics department, had raised more than $34,000.

Watch a local news report about the incident below:

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