Shooting Suspect at Minnesota Catholic School Identified, Online Manifesto Reveals Obsession with Mass Killers

Robin Westman has been identified as the shooter at the Minnesota church. The suspect is seen speaking in an online video

The suspect behind a shooting at a Minnesota Catholic school that left two children dead and 17 others wounded has been identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman. The attack occurred around 8:30 a.m. at Annunciation Catholic School in a Minneapolis suburb as students and teachers were attending Mass for the first week of school.

Authorities state that Westman fired dozens of rounds through the church's stained-glass windows. The two students killed were aged 8 and 10. Fourteen other children and three adults were wounded, with several transported to the hospital. Westman was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police arrived on the scene.

Two children died and 17 others have been injured after a suspect fired ‘dozens’ of rounds at a church in Minneapolis

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated the attack was a “deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping.” The shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun, and a pistol—all lawfully purchased—and was dressed in black clothing and cargo-type pants. The church doors had been barricaded from the outside using 2-by-4 wood planks.

While police are still investigating a motive, online videos and a manifesto linked to Westman reveal an obsession with other mass killers and detailed plans for the attack. Court documents show Westman legally changed their name from Robert to Robin in 2019 and identified as a woman, though police referred to the suspect as "he."

The shooting came from outside the church through the window as the children prayed at a Mass

Westman grew up in Richfield, and their mother was a former employee of the school. Their father owns a home less than a mile from the church, which was cordoned off by police for investigation.

Disturbing videos allegedly from Westman’s social media account provide insight into the planning. One video shows a notebook with handwritten notes, including phrases like “Sick f*** murderer” and a final page that reads, “The end. I’m so sorry,” signed “Robin” with a heart. Another clip depicts a knife stabbing a hand-drawn layout of a church. Further videos show weapons inscribed with silver ink; one gun barrel reads “Kiss me,” while others bear the names of infamous mass killers like Robert Bowers, Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, and Anders Behring Breivik. One weapon also contained a reference to former President Donald Trump and a neo-Nazi phrase about the Holocaust.

The investigation remains active as authorities work to verify the authenticity of the online materials and determine a definitive motive for the tragedy.

Police have not identified a motive in the shooting