Police have identified the shooter responsible for Wednesday’s deadly attack at a church adjacent to Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student of the school.
According to Minneapolis police, Westman entered the facility on the morning of August 27, while students from preschool to eighth grade were attending mass to mark the start of the academic year. Armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, Westman opened fire from the church windows, striking children and worshippers inside.
Two students, aged 8 and 10, were killed, and 14 others were injured, including three staff members. Two of the injured remain in critical condition. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that the shooter later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Court documents reveal that Westman, formerly known as Robert, began identifying as a woman in 2019 after a legal name change initiated by their mother. However, writings recovered from a notebook found among Westman’s belongings suggest conflicting feelings about gender identity. In one passage, Westman wrote:
“I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man.”
The same notebook contained drawings resembling the Annunciation Catholic Church and notes referencing an outfit they planned to wear “for my shooting.” Investigators also discovered videos posted online showing weapons and pages from the notebook.
The FBI is working with local authorities to investigate the motive, considering the possibility of domestic terrorism or a hate crime targeting Catholics, though no conclusion has been reached. Officials confirmed that Westman had no prior criminal record.
Following the attack, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged the public not to direct hatred toward the LGBTQ+ community:
“Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainise our trans community, or any other community out there, has lost their sense of common humanity. Kids died today. This needs to be about them.”
