A tragic shooting incident occurred at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during a morning mass on Wednesday, August 27, 2025. The two children killed were ages 8 and 10, and of the 17 injured, 14 were children and three were adults.
The shooter was identified as a 23-year-old boy, Robin Westman, who killed himself with a self-inflicted gunshot and was found dead in the parking lot of the school.
He was equipped with a pistol, a shotgun, and a rifle. All of the weapons were legally purchased. A smoke bomb was also found, but no other explosives were at the scene.
The firing was carried out from outside the church, with Westman shooting from the window at the people inside.
The shooter’s mother was an ex-employee at the school.
The FBI declared the incident an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Investigators are trying to find the shooter’s vehicle and three associated residences.
Brian O’Hara, the Chief of Minneapolis police, described the dreadful event as a “deliberate act of violence against innocent children.”
Robin Westman allegedly posted content on YouTube before the shooting. This material contains violent/suicidal thoughts, and an apology to the family. Some of the writings on the weapons allegedly mentioned “kill Donald Trump.”
Jacob Frey, the Mayor of Minneapolis, condemned the act of violence. He also spoke out against using the incident to “villainise the transgender community” because federal officials identified Westman as transgender.
Memorial and prayers have been held in the Minneapolis area.
The Minneapolis school shooting is a part of a larger violent incident that has been happening in the US for over two decades. There have been numerous attacks conducted on schools and colleges from 1999 to 2025.
What are the messages found on the weapons of Robin Westman?
According to reports, messages found on Westman’s weapons included, “kill Donald Trump”, “Nuke India”, “Where is your God”, “6 million was not enough”, apparently a reference to the Holocaust.