Minneapolis: A horrifying mass shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis has left two children dead and 17 others injured, with investigators uncovering chilling details about the attacker. The assailant, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire through the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday morning, where children had gathered for an all-school Mass to mark the beginning of the academic year.
Westman, who later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was armed with weapons covered in disturbing messages. Phrases such as “NUKE INDIA,” “Kill Donald Trump,” “ISRAEL MUST FALL,” and “6 million wasn’t enough” were scrawled across the guns and magazines. Other writings included “Suck on this!”, “Mashallah,” and “Like a Phoenix we rise from the ash.” Pictures of the weapons were shared online by far-right activist Laura Loomer, who claimed the shooter had been influenced by anti-Indian and anti-Jewish propaganda, though authorities have not confirmed this.
Police and FBI officials are investigating the attack as a case of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the timeline of the assault, while FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency was examining the suspect’s violent online activity. Westman’s social media accounts contained diary entries describing the killing of children, sketches of the church’s sanctuary, and videos showing weapons, bullets, and explosives.
The shooter is also believed to have been a former student of the school. Social media posts further revealed that Westman was previously known as Robert until 2020, when the legal name was changed to Robin after being identified as transgender during adolescence. Some commentators highlighted anti-Christian hatred in the shooter’s posts, pointing to captions such as “Where is your God?” written on one of the magazines.
The incident has reignited debates around extremist propaganda, trans violence, and hate-fueled attacks in the US. As the community grieves the deaths of two children and prays for the recovery of the injured, law enforcement continues to investigate Westman’s motives, which remain unclear but point to a disturbing mix of violent ideology and personal grievances.
