Investigators are examining the videos, writings and movements of the attacker who fired through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis, killing two children and wounding 17 other people, for connections to the church and its school to understand the motivation for the attack.
Armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, Robin Westman (23) shot dozens of rounds on Wednesday morning towards the children sitting in the pews during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School, Minneapolis. The information was provided by police chief Brian O’Hara.
He confirmed that the attacker then died by suicide.
The children who died were eight and 10.
RM Block
Fourteen other children and three octogenarian parishioners were wounded but expected to survive, the chief said.
Rev Dennis Zehren, who was inside the church with the nearly 200 children, said they were almost at the end of the responsorial psalm, which spoke about light in the darkness.
That is when he heard someone shout, “down, down, everybody down”, and the gunshots started.
Fifth-grade student Weston Halsne told reporters he ducked for the pews, covering his head, shielded by a friend who was lying on top of him.
His friend was hit, he said.
“I was super scared for him, but I think now he’s okay,” the 10-year-old said.
FBI director Kash Patel said on X that the shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
Westman’s mother had worked at the church for five years, retiring in 2021, according to a church Facebook post that year.
It is not clear if Robin Westman ever attended the church or had been enrolled at the school.
Mr O’Hara said police had not determined a motive for the attack.
He said, however, that investigators were examining a social media post that appeared to show the attacker at the scene.
Mr O’Hara, who gave the wounded youngsters’ ages as six to 15, said a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors and that authorities found a smoke bomb at the scene.
On a YouTube channel titled Robin W, the alleged attacker released at least two videos before the channel was taken down on Wednesday.
In one, he shows a cache of weapons and ammunition, some with phrases such as “kill Donald Trump” and “Where is your God?” written on them.
A second video shows the alleged attacker pointing to two outside windows in what appears to be a drawing of the church, and then stabbing it with a long knife.
The police chief said Westman did not have an extensive known criminal history and is believed to have acted alone.
Federal officials referred to Westman as transgender. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey decried hatred being directed at “our transgender community”.
Westman’s gender identity was not clear.
In 2020, a judge approved a petition, signed by Westman’s mother, asking for a name change from Robert to Robin, saying the petitioner “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification”. - AP
