Gymnast Kara Welsh Dies At 21 After Shooting In Whitewater, Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh died after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds Aug. 30, local police said.

Whitewater Police said in a release Aug. 31 that officers found “a deceased 21-year-old who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds” after responding to “a report of an individual who had suffered a gunshot wound” at an apartment in Whitewater, Wisconsin. Police also noted the presence of a 23-year-old male, who was detained, and knew the deceased female. “An altercation had occurred between the two” before the shooting, Whitewater Police stated in the release.

Welsh was later identified in another release from police as the victim.

Whitewater Police also said they arrested a 23-year-old male suspect and confined him in the Walworth County Jail. The police department said charges of first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed are “being forwarded” to the Walworth County District Attorney Office.

Corey King, chancellor at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, released a statement Aug. 31 sharing the news of Welsh’s death and more details about her life. King also said information about a memorial service is forthcoming and that the school flag will fly at half-staff on Tuesday, Sept. 3, to honor Welsh.

Welsh was from Plainfield, Illinois, and was a “a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team, winning an individual national title on the vault in 2023,” King wrote.

Welsh was majoring in management at the school’s College of Business and Economics.

“We know the news of Kara’s death is heartbreaking for our close-knit university community. It is a time when we are all called upon to support one another, to process, and to grieve,” King wrote, along with information about the available resources on campus for students, faculty and staff to navigate the aftermath of Welsh’s death.

Condolences are pouring in from the gymnastics community.

USA Gymnastics posted on X on Sept. 1: “We offer our deepest condolences to Kara’s family, friends and teammates at @UWWGymnastics.”

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