Gunman responsible for fatally shooting 2 and injuring 17 at a Catholic school in Minneapolis detailed
In a shocking turn of events, a tragic shooting occurred at a Minneapolis Catholic school's church during Wednesday's Mass. The shooter, identified as Robin Westman (23), entered the premises armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, resulting in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 worshippers.
Robin Westman, the youngest of three children of Mary Grace Westman and James Allen Westman, was a resident of Hastings and later Richland, Minnesota. Westman's mother worked at Annunciation Catholic School for five years before retiring, while his father worked as a parish secretary at Annunciation Catholic Church. However, it is not clear if Robin Westman ever attended church, visited the grounds, or was enrolled in school at Annunciation.
Authorities are investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics, with the FBI involved in the investigation. The shooter's uncle, Bob Heleringer, expressed regret over the shooting and wished he had been the target instead of innocent schoolchildren.
Police have discovered time-released videos and writings possibly from the shooter, including a YouTube channel titled "Robin W" with at least two videos. One of the videos contained a drawing of a church layout, pointing to two outside windows and stabbing the illustration with a long knife. Another video showed two journals, one written in the Cyrillic alphabet, and the other with a last entry dated 8-21-25 and also written entirely in Cyrillic.
The second notebook had a sticker depicting a semiautomatic AK-style rifle on top of a trans equality pride flag and a sticker for the band KMFDM. It is worth noting that one of the shooters in the 1999 Columbine School shooting had references to KMFDM on his website prior to the rampage. Recently, the industrial band KMFDM has issued statements condemning violence and school shootings, but their references have been found in several high-profile shootings.
In a disturbing find, one of the YouTube videos contained a cache of weapons, ammunition, and loaded magazines with sayings such as "kill Donald Trump" and "Where is your God?" The authorities believe Westman acted alone in the shooting and purchased the weapons used legally.
The investigation is ongoing, with authorities searching a vehicle in the parking lot, believed to be the shooter's, and three associated residences in the area. The shooter, Robin Westman, was found dead in the parking lot from what authorities believe was a self-inflicted gunshot.
The community is left to mourn the loss of the two children and pray for the recovery of the injured. The YouTube video also included a letter to the shooter's family, expressing love, apologies, and suggesting a name change and moving on. Westman's uncle, Bob Heleringer, has not had contact with Robin since a family wedding several years ago.
This tragic event serves as a grim reminder of the need for continued vigilance and dialogue about violence, mental health, and the harmful effects of hate speech. Our thoughts are with the families affected by this tragedy.
