Shooting at Minnesota Morning Mass

Minneapolis Catholic School rocked by unspeakable violence

WARNING: Graphic and Unfiltered Content​

Early on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, a mass shooting occurred at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during a morning Mass attended by students and staff. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman (born Robert Westman), opened fire through the church windows, killing two children (aged 8 and 10) and injuring 17 others, including 14 children and 3 adults.

Westman, who legally changed his name in 2020 to reflect a female gender identity, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities recovered a rifle, shotgun, and pistol from the scene, all recently and legally purchased.

A smoke bomb inscribed with “Jew gas” was also found, along with ammunition magazines marked with phrases like “for the children,” “where is your God,” and “Kill Donald Trump.” The FBI is investigating the attack as domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics, with anti-Semitic and anti-Christian elements evident in an online video.

Westman’s background includes growing up in Richfield, Minnesota, possibly attending Annunciation School for at least one year, and having a mother who worked at the school until retiring in 2021. Court records confirm a name change petition filed in 2019 in Dakota County, Minnesota, when Westman was a minor, stating he “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”

The manifesto, uploaded to YouTube hours before the attack, included ramblings in Russian, drawings of the church, references to mass shootings (e.g., obsessions dating back to seventh grade), and hatred toward “filthy Zionist Jews.” No extensive criminal history was noted, but sources indicate Westman scouted the school recently and planned the attack during the first week of classes.

The Mayor of Minneapolis disparaged the action of praying in reaction to this horrific event, saying “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” and instead promoting political action to provide “peace without fear or risk of violence” for the students and the parents.