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Minneapolis school shooter tests multiple guns days before deadly attack in shocking footage
Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman tested firearms at a local gun store days before killing two children and injuring five at Annunciation Catholic School.
Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman spent around 40 minutes inside Frontiersman Sports in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, just days before carrying out a deadly attack at Annunciation Catholic School. The surveillance footage obtained by KSTP shows the 23-year-old gunman examining multiple firearms on Saturday, August 23.
In the video, Westman sports a ponytail and a t-shirt from a local cannabis dispensary where he had previously worked, as per Daily Mail. At one point, he is seen pointing a revolver at the floor, peering down its barrel. He also inspects several rifles, including one fitted with a telescopic scope, which he tests carefully on the shop floor.
Legal purchase, tragic outcome
According to the Daily Mail, Westman bought a 38 Special revolver during the visit. Store owner Kory Krause noted that Westman presented as a man but identified as female on the paperwork.
"What could I have done? What could I have caught? He had three layers of seasoned veteran employees that could sniff this stuff out from a mile away. We want to know that we did everything right. We have a reputation for picking out people that are bad actors," Krause told the Daily Mail.
Also read: Robin Westman was 'obsessed with killing kids': First details on Minneapolis school shooter's motive
Authorities said Westman was armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol during the attack on August 27. The shooter opened fire on children during a school mass, killing eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and ten-year-old Harper Myoski. Five others were seriously injured, including nine-year-old Vivi St Clair and 13-year-old Endre Gunter.
Westman, dressed in black tactical gear, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Police confirmed all three weapons were legally obtained.
Warning signs and mental health struggles
Westman had shared his mental health struggles in a letter to friends and family posted in a now-deleted YouTube video. The clip displayed several firearms adorned with writings expressing admiration for past school shooters, disdain for Trump, and mockery of the church, informs the Daily Mail.
In a four-page suicide note addressed to “my family and friends,” Westman wrote: "I have wanted this for so long. I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away." He acknowledged his depression and long-term suicidal ideation, concluding with a plea for "prayers" for the victims and their families. Robin Westman was born as Robert Westman, a male, but identified as a female.
FAQs:
Who was the Minneapolis school shooter?
Robin Westman, 23, killed two children and injured five others.
When did the shooting occur?
The attack happened on August 27 during a school mass.
Did Westman legally purchase the guns?
Yes, all three weapons were legally obtained.
Were the guns bought at the local store?
No, the store Westman visited did not sell the firearms used.
Did Westman leave a note?
Yes, a four-page suicide note and letter were found, expressing mental health struggles.
