New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz indicated that the shooter who opened fire on a Minneapolis Catholic church full of children Wednesday — injuring 17 and killing two kids, ages 8 and 10 — was named Robin Westman.
Two sources familiar with the investigation told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Westman, 23, is indeed the suspected shooter.
‘I regret everything. I didn’t ask for life. You didn’t ask for death.’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Wednesday confirmed on X that that the shooter was “claiming to be transgender.”
Indeed, conservative influencer Harrison Krank obtained an alleged court document indicating that Westman went through a name change in 2020 — going from Robert to Robin. The document notes further that Westman “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
KARE-TV noted that “the shooter was 23-year-old Robin, formerly Robert, Westman.”
RELATED: Gunman opens fire at Catholic church; police say there are about 20 victims
Law enforcement sources said Westman grew up in Richfield and that Westman’s mother was an employee at Annunciation School, KARE reported, adding that records show Westman’s mother retired from the school in 2021.
The station added it’s also believed that Westman attended the school for at least one year and that Westman had visited the school in the last week, while teachers prepared for the upcoming school year.
Westman allegedly shared a video to YouTube ahead of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church.
The clip shows an image of Jesus Christ inside a shooting target. In addition, in the video the alleged shooter giggles effetely while showcasing his arsenal on a bed — a rifle, a shotgun, a revolver, and a handgun — and displaying statements on his weapons that include, “Where is your God?”; “Kill Donald Trump”; “I’m the woker, baby … Why so queerious?”; “pain and hate”; “f**k you, eat s**t faggot”; “Get clapped.” At least three names also are written on one of the rifle magazines.
While playing with rifle rounds, the alleged shooter states in the video, “I’m sorry to my family, but that’s it — that’s the only people I’m sorry to. F**k those kids.”
At one point in the video, the alleged shooter also states, “I regret everything. I didn’t ask for life. You didn’t ask for death.”
The alleged shooter also shows an apparent manifesto in the video while stating, “I hope you can read that.” The apparent manifesto makes an appearance in another video and appears to have been written largely using the Cyrillic or Russian alphabet. Markowicz identified some of the writing on the weaponry as Russian, including a statement that is translated as, “I’m a terrorist.”
While leafing through the apparent manifesto in the second video, the alleged shooter pauses on a drawing of what appears to be the interior of Annunciation Catholic Church — then stabs the page with a knife. He concludes the video by stating, “That’s all I do: I fall, I break, and I die.”
According to police, the shooter barricaded the church doors from the outside with 2x4s and began opening fire into the church through the windows from the outside. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the shooter a “coward.”
Police said the shooter opened fire with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol and ultimately shot himself to death in the back of the church.
Minneapolis Police on Wednesday didn’t immediately reply to Blaze News’ request for confirmation of the shooter’s reported identity as Robin/Robert Westman nor of the accuracy of the report that the YouTube video is of Westman.
The tragedy appears to parallel the 2023 Covenant School massacre in numerous ways.
A 28-year-old woman stormed into a Presbyterian elementary school in Nashville on March 27 that year armed with a rifle, a pistol, and a handgun. The trans-identifying shooter proceeded to murder three 9-year-old children — Evelyn Dieckhaus, William Kinney, and Hallie Scruggs — along with three adults — teacher Cynthia Peak, custodian Mike Hill, and head of school Katherine Koonce.
The shooter’s manifesto was replete with criticisms of religion, and she similarly expressed a revulsion for innocence.
“Kill those kids!!! Those crackers Going to private fancy schools with those fancy khakis and sports backpacks with their daddies mustangs and convertibles. F**k you little s**ts,” wrote the female shooter. “I wish to shoot your weak ass d**ks with your mop yellow hair, wanna kill all you little crackers!!! Bunch of little f****ts with your white privileges. F**k you f****ts.”
Editor’s note: This story was edited after publication to include a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
This is a developing story.
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Politics, Murder, Mass shooting, Minneapolis, Robert westman, Slaughter, Massacre, Suicide, Anti-catholic, Catholic, Church, Annunciation, Robin westman, Crime, Transgender, Transgender agenda