Robin Westman: 10 shocking things to know about Minneapolis school shooter
Weapons with disturbing messages linked to Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman surface online
On August 27, 2025, during a school Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, 23-year-old Robin Westman unleashed a wave of violence that left two children dead and 17 others wounded. As the investigation unfolds, a disturbing portrait has emerged—one marked by personal connection to the school, extremist ideation, and calculated planning.
1. Former Student of the Targeted School
Westman had direct ties to the institution attacked. She graduated from Annunciation Catholic School in 2017, eight years before the shooting.
2. Transgender Identity and Legal Name Change as a Teenager
Born Robert Paul Westman on June 17, 2002, she legally changed her name to Robin M. Westman in early 2020. The court filing stated that she “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
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3. Family Connection to the School
Her mother, Mary Grace Westman, served as a parish secretary at the school until retiring in 2021. This made the attack especially personal, targeting both a former student and an institution tied to her family.
4. No Prior Criminal Record; Legally Obtained Weapons
Police confirmed Westman had no extensive criminal history and acquired all three weapons she used—a rifle, shotgun, and pistol—within lawful channels.
5. Attack Style: From Outside, Through Stained-Glass Windows
The shooting unfolded externally. Westman fired dozens of rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows, targeting children during Mass. The main doors were barricaded from the inside, which may have helped contain further harm.
6. Manifesto and Videos Posted Just Hours Before
Authorities found two YouTube videos—one around 10 minutes, the other 20—released shortly before the attack. The content included a church interior sketch that Westman stabbed, a letter to family, weapons display with slogans, and ramblings about suicidal ideation.
7. Extremist Messages on Weaponry
Gun magazines were marked with hate-filled slogans: “Kill Donald Trump,” “Nuke India,” “Israel Must Fall,” and even references like “6 million wasn’t enough.” The inscriptions also included names of infamous mass shooters. The inflammatory imagery was traced across Westman’s gears and journal.
8. FBI Investigation Flags Hate Crime & Domestic Terrorism
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the agency is investigating the shooting as both a hate crime targeting Catholics and an act of domestic terrorism. (turn0news12, turn0news14)
9. Calculated Planning & Timing
Westman reportedly timed the videos and manifesto to coincide with the attack. She framed the event as a “final act” in writings, suggesting intimate premeditation and psychological distress.
10. Devastating Human Impact
Two children aged 8 and 10 were killed instantly; 14 children and three elderly parishioners were injured, all expected to survive. Survivors described the terror—one child was saved when a friend shielded him.