WHITEWATER, Wis. (Court TV/Scripps News Milwaukee) — A man accused of shooting and killing a star gymnast at the University of Wisconsin appeared in court on Tuesday, where a judge ordered him held on a $1 million bond.
Chad Richards is charged with killing star gymnast Kara Welsh. (Whitewater Police Dept.)
Whitewater police say 21-year-old Kara Welsh of Plainfield, Illinois, was shot and killed Friday night. Welsh was shot multiple times in an apartment in the old Wisconsin Dairy Supply Co. building. Police arrested a 23-year-old man, Chad Richards, who supposedly knew Welsh. Police referred several charges to the Walworth County District Attorney’s Office, including first-degree intentional homicide, endangering safety by the use of a dangerous weapon and disorderly conduct while armed.
Police discovered there was likely an altercation between Welsh and the suspect before the shooting took place, but haven’t offered any further information about what may have happened.
MORE | Suspect claims he shot UW gymnast girlfriend in self-defense
In a message posted on the school’s website, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Chancellor Corey King offered more information about Walsh. She was majoring in management in the university’s College of Business and Economics and she was an accomplished gymnast. Welsh won the individual national title in the vault in 2023 for the school’s team, the Warhawks. She also held four of the top eight scores for the vault in the history of the school’s program.
Kara Welsh, a star gymnast, was shot and killed Aug. 30, 2024 near the University of Wisconsin’s Whitewater Campus. (University of Wisconsin via Scripps News Milwaukee)
“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.
In a statement by the gymnastics department, Welsh was described as a dedicated and supportive teammate with a big personality and a passion for motivating those around her.
“For a lot of our community that is impacted by this, this is the first tragic event that they’ve ever had in their lives,” said Ryan Callahan. “A lot of it, this is the first time.” Callahan is UW-Whitewater’s athletic director. He’s gotten to know Welsh during her three years as a Warhawk. “When you look back at the greats of whoever put on a Warhawk uniform or leotard specific to gymnastics, Kara’s going to be on that list. One of the best ever.”
Welsh was a two-time Division III All-American. She won the 2023 individual national championship in vault and helped lead the team to a runner-up finish earlier this year.
“Her accomplishments are what they are, but the fact that she was such a wonderful person makes it even harder,” said Callahan.
Richards is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on Sept. 6.
