Decorated Gymnast Kara Welsh Fatally Shot at 21, Suspect Arrested

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnast Kara Welsh was shot and killed late Friday night.

The 21-year-old from Plainfield, Illinois, was found with multiple gunshot wounds after authorities responded to an incident at an off-campus apartment.

Content warning: domestic violence

Police revealed that the athlete was fatally shot by a man she knew, and they have arrested the suspect on suspicion of murder.

"Also present in the apartment was a 23-year-old male who was known to the deceased female. Through investigation, it was determined that leading up to the shooting, an altercation had occurred between the two," Whitewater police said in a statement.

The unidentified suspect has been charged with first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed, the police said in another statement.

Corey A. King, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Chancellor, issued a statement following the student's death.

"Kara Welsh, age 21, from Plainfield, Illinois, died in a shooting off campus on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024. Kara was majoring in management in our College of Business and Economics and was a standout member of the Warhawk gymnastics team, winning an individual national title on the vault in 2023," he wrote.

Counseling services will be made available to all UW-Whitewater students, faculty and staff. To honor Welsh's memory, the school's flag will fly at half-staff on Aug. 3 (Tuesday).

READ MORE: 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall Released From Hospital After Being Shot in Chest, Mom Says ‘Lucky’ to Be Alive

UW-Whitewater Athletics shared a tribute to Welsh on Instagram.

"Our hearts are broken with the tragic loss of one of our own @uwwhitewatergymnastics senior Kara Welsh," the post read.

The decorated gymnast is survived by her parents, Nancy and Tom Welsh and sister Kaeli.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of domestic abuse, help is available through the National Domestic Violence Hotline. To speak to someone on the phone, dial 1-800-799-7233.