Camilla Jessen
New detail emerges about Minneapolis school shooter who killed 2 kids, and injured 17.
Just hours before opening fire on a school, 23-year-old Robin Westman shared a disturbing video and a manifesto apologizing for what was to come.
Now, police and the public are left searching for answers after a senseless attack that shattered a community.
The First Week Back
The first week of school in Minneapolis turned into a nightmare on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire outside Annunciation Catholic Church, killing two young children and injuring 17 others.
The Shooter
The shooter has been identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman.
Westman reportedly targeted the school deliberately, firing through stained-glass windows and breaching reinforced doors.
Police say the rampage ended when Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“For the Children”
Hours before the shooting, Westman posted a series of disturbing videos online.
In one, the suspect appeared with a stockpile of weapons and ammunition, laughing and showing off a magazine with the phrase “For the children” scrawled across it.
“I Don’t Expect Forgiveness”
According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, the shooter also uploaded a handwritten four-page manifesto.
It opened with the line: “I don’t expect forgiveness … I do apologize for the effects my actions will have on your lives.”
Internal Conflict
The letter went on to describe a deep hatred of the world and a sense of internal conflict over gender identity, saying, “I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man.”
Westman also expressed violent ideations toward former President Donald Trump and Jewish people, though authorities have not confirmed whether those statements factored into the specific targeting of the school.
No Criminal Record, No Clear Motive
Westman had no known criminal history, and investigators say the motive remains unclear.
The shooter was once a student at the school and had ties to it through family. Westman’s mother worked there until retiring in 2021.
Court records show that in 2020, Westman, then 17, legally changed their name and stated they identified as female.
Police are now analyzing Westman’s digital footprint, including the videos and writings released before the attack, to piece together what may have driven the shooter to carry out such a deadly act.
Witnesses Recall Disturbing Past
Josefina Sanchez, a former classmate, said she knew Westman when they went by Robert during grade school in St. Paul. She recalled troubling behavior, including praising Hitler during class.
“When you see something erratic, it doesn’t leave your mind,” Sanchez told 5 Investigates. “I knew that something was off, but I was a kid; how was I to know what to do?”
She said they briefly became friends in seventh grade, but she distanced herself after seeing disturbing conduct.
Federal Officials Call It Domestic Terrorism
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency is investigating the incident as both a hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism, targeting Catholics.
The victims included two children—ages 8 and 10—who were pronounced dead at the scene. Fourteen more children and three adults were wounded, some seriously.
“This was an act of hate,” Patel said. “There is no other word for it.”
National Leaders React
President Donald Trump issued a statement on Truth Social, saying he was “fully briefed” and called the situation “terrible.”
“Please join me in praying for everyone involved,” Trump wrote.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also commented on social media, stating: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
A Community in Shock
The neighborhood surrounding Annunciation Catholic School is still reeling.
Vigils are being organized, and counselors have been brought in to support students and families traumatized by what they witnessed.
Authorities stress that there is no ongoing threat to the community, but the pain left behind is enormous. As the investigation continues, officials are urging the public not to share or repost Westman’s videos to avoid amplifying the gunman’s message.
