Robin Westman has been identified as the suspect in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday, which left two children dead, according to the New York Post, citing sources.
The shooting took place as children were celebrating Mass at the start of the academic year.
Westman, a 22-year-old, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun, and authorities believe he fired all three weapons during the attack.
“The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life in the rear of the church,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a press conference.
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Videos surface
A video allegedly posted by Robin Westman on YouTube just hours before the attack has surfaced on X (formerly Twitter), showing an individual flipping through what appears to be a manifesto. The document reportedly contains schematic diagrams of firearms and diary-style entries written in both English and Russian.
Several other videos, also reportedly uploaded to YouTube, show multiple weapons, including a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun. Some of the magazines are marked with disturbing messages such as “for the children” and “kill Donald Trump.” Additional clips appear to reveal an obsession with mass shooters, including Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza, NY Post reported.
{{/usCountry}}Several other videos, also reportedly uploaded to YouTube, show multiple weapons, including a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun. Some of the magazines are marked with disturbing messages such as “for the children” and “kill Donald Trump.” Additional clips appear to reveal an obsession with mass shooters, including Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza, NY Post reported.
{{/usCountry}}These claims remain unverified by law enforcement. Hindustan Times has not independently verified the authenticity of the videos. We have chosen not to share the clips.
Brian O’Hara said during a press conference that the suspect was not previously known to law enforcement and is believed to have acted alone.
“The sheer cruelty and cowardice, firing into a church full of children, is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said.