MINNEAPOLIS — More information has come out about the gunman who shot and killed two children and hurt 17 others at Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday. Brian O’Hara, the chief of police in Minneapolis, said on Thursday that the gunman, Robin Westman, used to go to the school and was a member of the church. Before she retired in 2021, Westman’s mother also worked for the parish.
Authorities are now going through a lot of digital and physical evidence, such as films, writings, and a suicide note, to figure out why the incident happened. O’Hara told media, “Everything we’ve seen so far is a classic pathway to an active shooter.” He also said that investigators have not uncovered anything “specific to trigger the amount of hate that occurred yesterday.”
Westman is thought to have posted videos on a now-deleted YouTube channel that showed a lot of guns, ammo, and links to past mass shooters. Some of the words written on the guns said things like “Kill Donald Trump,” “Where is your God?” and “Nuke India.” A statement that looked like a suicide note to family members admitted to a long-term plan for violence and depression. One phrase that sent chills down my spine read, “I know this is wrong, but I can’t seem to stop myself.”
Westman has been classified as transgender by the federal government, which has led to both political and societal discussion. Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, said that the tragedy should not be used to “direct hatred at ‘our transgender community.'” In 2020, a judge agreed to a petition to alter Westman’s name from Robert to Robin. The judge said that the person who filed the case “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
Kash Patel, the head of the FBI, called the attack “an act of domestic terrorism motivated by hate-filled ideology.” He pointed to the shooter’s comments against several religions and threats against U.S. President Donald Trump.
The police found a rifle, shotgun, and pistol at the site. Westman had bought all of them legitimately. After the attack, the shooter shot himself in the back of the church and died. The attack killed two children, ages 8 and 10. The people who were hurt were between the ages of 6 and 80. Most of the victims are likely to live, but one child is still in critical condition.