Minneapolis Shooting Latest: Robin Westman Named as Suspect After Catholic School Attack Kills 2 Children

Shooter Robin Westman opened fire through stained glass windows of church as students celebrated Catholic Mass at start of school year

Westman was initially described by authorities as “a man” in his early twenties, dressed all in black and armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. However, court documents later revealed that in 2019, the shooter changed their name from Robert to Robin and that they identified as a woman.

No motive is known at this time, and Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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What you need to know…

• A shooting occurred at Annunciation Church and Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning as schoolchildren were attending Mass to mark the start of the academic year.
• The assailant, Robin Westman, formerly Robert, whose name was legally changed after identifying as a woman, opened fire from outside the church, using a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, to fire through the stained-glass windows after barricading some of the doors.
• Two children, aged eight and ten, were killed in the attack, and 17 other individuals were injured, including 14 children, two of whom are in critical condition.
• Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that the motive for the deliberate act of violence against innocent children is not yet known. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime against Catholics.
• President Donald Trump offered condolences to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and ordered flags to half-staff. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed profound grief, rejecting offers of mere “thoughts and prayers.”

There have been 44 school shootings in the US so far in 2025, one more than the 43 at this point in 2024, according to CNN’s analysis of Gun Violence Archive, Education Week, and Everytown for Gun Safety data.

The post-pandemic years have marked an alarming surge, with 2021 through 2024 each breaking records since the outlet began tracking incidents in 2008.

This year’s shootings are evenly split: 22 on K-12 campuses and 22 on colleges and universities, it reported.

State Representative Emma Greenman, whose district includes Annunciation Church, said her community is working to surround victims and their families with “support and courage”.

She stressed that there is “so much more work to do” in addressing gun violence nationwide and added that “we know that this is not a Minnesota issue; this is a national issue”.

“We have just now become a part of that heartbreaking and tragic community of communities that have suffered this real, horrific pain,” Greenman said.

She warned against growing desensitised to such tragedies and urged people to “turn to both their neighbors and every level of government and say we can and will do better by our kids”.

After a shooter identified by police as Robin Westman opened fire on primary school children outside Annunciation Church, the mayor of Minneapolis Jacob Frey condemned the attack and appealed for unity.

He stressed that the city must not “villainize our trans community” in the wake of the incident.

“I have heard about a whole lot of hate that’s being directed at our trans community. Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community, or any other community out there, has lost their sense of common humanity,” he said.

“We should not be operating out of a place of hate for anyone. We should be operating from a place of love for our kids. Kids died today. This needs to be about them,” he added.

Westman was initially described by authorities as “a man” in his early twenties, dressed all in black and armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. However, court documents later revealed that in 2019, the shooter changed their name from Robert to Robin and that they identified as a woman.

Authorities are reviewing writings and YouTube videos left by the suspect, identified by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman.

Westman opened fire at a Minneapolis Catholic church on Wednesday, killing an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old and wounding 17 others.

The suspect’s online accounts include diary-style videos describing child killings, a sketch of the Annunciation Catholic Church sanctuary, and footage displaying weapons, ammunition, and apparent explosives.

Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the attacker carried a rifle, shotgun, and pistol before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The shooter was identified as Robin Westman, law enforcement officials said.

Police have referred to Westman as “he,” but in 2019, the shooter changed their name from Robert to Robin, court documents show. In court documents, it is listed that Westman identified as a woman.

Westman doesn’t have a criminal history, and police are still trying to determine a motive for the attack. The shooter was wearing black clothing and “cargo-type pants,” police said, and was armed with a rifle, shotgun and a pistol — all of which were lawfully purchased.

Two fathers of children who died in the Parkland School shooting in Florida, have spoken out following the tragedy in Minnesota.

Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jamie in the tragedy in 2018, and Manuel Oliver, who lost his son Joaquin.

The Parkland shooting occurred on February 14 2018, when 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz opened fire on students and staff at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

17 people were killed 18 others were injured.

First Lady Melania Trump has called for a “pre-emptive intervention” to identify “potential school shooters”.

She wrote on X: “Early warning signs are often evident with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviours and making violent threats online prior to their actions.”

She claimed that taking notice of those signs “and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer”.

“To prevent future tragedies, it is crucial we look into behavioural threat assessments across all levels of society – beginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms,” she said.

The school’s principal, Matt DeBoer, mourned the loss of two students after the shooting, calling them “two angels”.

He praised teachers and students as heroes and urged the community to pray, support families, and take action to ensure such a tragedy never happens again.

“I love you, you’re so brave, and I’m so sorry this happened to us today,” he told the students.

“I beg you,” he said at a press conference. “I ask you to please pray, but don’t stop with your words. Let’s make a difference and support this community’s children, these families, these teachers. Never again can we let this happen.”

Maroosha Muzaffar28 August 2025 04:30