MN- Minneapolis, mass shooting at church, multiple fatalities, possible explosive device found. Aug 2025

[Chimera]

Depends on the gun, you can pick several 9mm handguns for under $300 and some shotguns you can find for under the same price or on sale for under $200. The rifle could be the expensive one considering it was some sort of AR platform but you can find some of those for under $400.

What's interesting is that since he bought them lawfully, he had to get a permit for both the pistol and rifle which means he had to undergo a background check for both the permit and the purchase. But if he hadn't been committed for mental health or has committed a disqualifying crime, he would have no problem passing both

Thanks.
Yes I agree with no priors the shooter R.W., would not have been on LE's radar at all.
Imo.

 

[Betty P]

Thanks.
Yes I agree with no priors the shooter R.W., would not have been on LE's radar at all.
Imo.

It doesn’t sound as though they had a serious mental illness since they never encountered problems with LE. Perhaps it was more of a serious anti social personality disorder. They sounded like a typical injustice collector who always blamed their unhappiness and problems on others.

 

[fred&edna]

Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman’s mother Mary Grace not cooperating with cops, hires criminal defense attorney

Mary Grace Westman, mother of transgender mass shooter Robin Westman, is reportedly not cooperating with police in the investigation into the ghastly slaughter at Annunciation Catholic School in Mi…

nypost.com

The mother of transgender Minneapolis mass shooter Robin Westman is not cooperating with police in the investigation — and has hired a criminal defense attorney in the wake of the deadly shooting killed two young children and injured 18 others.

 

[Ontario Mom]

Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman’s mother Mary Grace not cooperating with cops, hires criminal defense attorney

Mary Grace Westman, mother of transgender mass shooter Robin Westman, is reportedly not cooperating with police in the investigation into the ghastly slaughter at Annunciation Catholic School in Mi…

nypost.com

The mother of transgender Minneapolis mass shooter Robin Westman is not cooperating with police in the investigation — and has hired a criminal defense attorney in the wake of the deadly shooting killed two young children and injured 18 others.

Wait. Why would his mother need a criminal defense attorney?

 

[Arkay]

Wait. Why would his mother need a criminal defense attorney?

Yes, this is strange. Her child is dead so she’s not hiring an attorney to defend RW.

Perhaps she thinks she’ll be implicated because she did after all have some knowledge of RW’s plans? Or LE at least assumes she must have known something?

Things that make me go Hhmm.

I’m relieved she wasn’t slain, though. I did have that concern.

JM speculation.

 

[fred&edna]

there's a very happy looking westman family photo in the daily mail report linked below taken when rw was much younger. i also happened to notice the madonna and child with angels art on the wall. i don't know if that particular piece of art has a specific name/artist but i like it. however, the smiling rw then and the holy art in combination with rw's evil acts.... is sooo sickly disturbing.

Mother of Minneapolis shooter obtains lawyer after school massacre

Mary Westman, the mother of shooting suspect Robin Westman, 23, was a former employee at the Annunciation Church where the horror unfolded on Wednesday morning.

www.dailymail.co.uk

jmo

 

[Sundog]

I agree. We lived in Texas for 14 years and attended church there. I was surprised to hear that our church had an armed security team in place by all of the doors with earpieces to communicate with one another. Apparently, there have been shootings at other churches. I think that all churches should have at least one armed security. It doesn't have to be obvious to alarm the kids; however, the person should be alert and armed.

JMO.

 

[Sundog]

I agree. We lived in Texas for 14 years and attended church there. I was surprised to hear that our church had an armed security team in place by all of the doors with earpieces to communicate with one another. Apparently, there have been shootings at other churches. I think that all churches should have at least one armed security. It doesn't have to be obvious to alarm the kids; however, the person should be alert and armed.

JMO.

The Annunciation Church kept the door locked during the weekly masses for the children and staff who attended and worked in the church's school on the property. Since the weekly mass for the school wasn't open to the public, but a part of the school, they were able to lock the church door during these weekly services. But they couldn't have predicted that a crazed shooter would try to murder the children by firing through the stained glass windows of the church.

 

[Sundog]

Thank you for confirming Kash Patel is an approved source. This was posted this afternoon:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1961124620595052673

Looking forward to the updates.

 

[Sundog]

there's a very happy looking westman family photo in the daily mail report linked below taken when rw was much younger. i also happened to notice the madonna and child with angels art on the wall. i don't know if that particular piece of art has a specific name/artist but i like it. however, the smiling rw then and the holy art in combination with rw's evil acts.... is sooo sickly disturbing.

Mother of Minneapolis shooter obtains lawyer after school massacre

Mary Westman, the mother of shooting suspect Robin Westman, 23, was a former employee at the Annunciation Church where the horror unfolded on Wednesday morning.

www.dailymail.co.uk

jmo

It looks like a copy of a Greek Orthodox Icon called the Theotokos of the Passion. Angels Gabriel and Michael on either side of the Madonna as they hold a Cross and other items related to the Passion of Christ. Maybe 17th century Eastern Icon? Not sure of the date.

 

[BayouBelle_LA]

there's a very happy looking westman family photo in the daily mail report linked below taken when rw was much younger. i also happened to notice the madonna and child with angels art on the wall. i don't know if that particular piece of art has a specific name/artist but i like it. however, the smiling rw then and the holy art in combination with rw's evil acts.... is sooo sickly disturbing.

Mother of Minneapolis shooter obtains lawyer after school massacre

Mary Westman, the mother of shooting suspect Robin Westman, 23, was a former employee at the Annunciation Church where the horror unfolded on Wednesday morning.

www.dailymail.co.uk

jmo

The art is a depiction of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, a 15th century Byzantine Icon. It’s a symbol in Catholicism.

We wondered earlier in the thread if the family was Catholic, seeing this hung prominently, I’m reasonably sure they are. imo

 

[IzzyBlanche]

Too bad the Catholic Christian School didn't have an armed guard at the door.

JMO, but I don't think any school should have to have an armed guard at the door.

But these are the times we live in, I guess.

 

[friendlysleuther]

Synergizer Bunny said:
I agree. We lived in Texas for 14 years and attended church there. I was surprised to hear that our church had an armed security team in place by all of the doors with earpieces to communicate with one another. Apparently, there have been shootings at other churches. I think that all churches should have at least one armed security. It doesn't have to be obvious to alarm the kids; however, the person should be alert and armed.

JMO.

The Annunciation Church kept the door locked during the weekly masses for the children and staff who attended and worked in the church's school on the property. Since the weekly mass for the school wasn't open to the public, but a part of the school, they were able to lock the church door during these weekly services. But they couldn't have predicted that a crazed shooter would try to murder the children by firing through the stained glass windows of the church.

Yeah, its sad. I'm not sure what my current church does but I know that at my old one they had volunteers with guns as security each week. Doors to the main room were locked during service & the volunteers stood right in front of them... In a rural town in indiana. So sad we have to do this.

 

[cottonweaver]

DBM

 

[cottonweaver]

here's a link to the info about his apartment. i don't think he lived in this apartment with his family... but, i could be wrong.

also, i noticed this report about fbi investigating a florida location

FBI presence at Naples condo due to possible connection to Minneapolis catholic school shooting

FBI presence has been reported at a condominium in Naples where Mary Grace Westman, the mother of Robin Westman, allegedly resides. Robin Westman was identified as the shooter at a catholic school in Minneapolis.

www.winknews.com

jmo

eta; i think father or father and mother owned a home not far from church/school. i don't have a link for this bit of info but i'll try to find one.

Fwiw

In the videos the killer released, you can catch glimpses of the polished hardwood flooring and wall panelling which LE will be able to identify and locate

 

[cottonweaver]

This doesn't surprise me in the slightest. I thought this might be the case.

It says that he stated that somebody would red flag it as a concerning change of behavior. ( Which might alert authorities and prevent his deadly plans?)

ETA - sorry replied to the wrong person. The OP was asking why he decided against cutting his hair prior to the shooting

OP asked : 'Why would they think someone would report them for cutting there hair and and identifying as a male again?

Mail reporting adds that in RW's final letter he added
'Unfortunately, due to my depression, anger and twisted mind, I want to fulfill a final act that has been in the back of my head for years,' Westman wrote.'

Minneapolis school shooter's 'ode to death' emerges revealing 'regret'

Robin Westman, 23, wrote an ode to death titled 'But Not The End' in which they outlined concerns that they would die with 'regrets that my name not be known for something more'.

www.dailymail.co.uk

 

[friendlysleuther]

They could have identified as trans. This doesn’t make one the member of the LGBTQ community because any community is a group of people reaching out to one another.

Members form friendships, attend community events and support groups, are proactive. It is my feeling that while members of LGBTQ community might spend a long time for search of their identity, it is very common for them to seek help, for themselves and their friends.

I suspect that either the community did not accept Westman, or Westman didn’t even reach out, be it due to some personal traits or mental illness.

I think the true problem lies in not belonging anywhere. So essentially we are discussing a typical lone killer.

Yeah, some people are just bad people.

 

[Elley Mae]

“I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away. I know this is wrong, but I can’t seem to stop myself,” the letter continued.

“I am severely depressed and have been suicidal for years.”

Trans Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman had disturbing history of red flags: ‘Why didn’t someone speak up?’

Westman, 23, had a sick fascination with school shootings and Adolf Hitler from an early age, and bounced between high schools as a teen.

nypost.com

She had petitioned to have her son’s name changed from Robert to Robin in 2020 — when he was 17, the judge writing, “minor child identifies as a female,” court records show.


“Only recently have I lost all hope and decided to perform my final action against this world,” Westman wrote in his apparent suicide note, indicating he believed he was “dying of cancer.”

“I don’t want to kneel down for the injustices. of this world. I want to die. I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees, constantly in pain.

 

[Megnut]

Harper's parents said it's important that their daughter's memory "fuels action" while imploring for meaningful change to prevent a similar tragedy and "work toward a safer, more compassionate world."

Parents of children killed in Annunciation Catholic school shooting speak out

Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, died in the Annunciation Catholic School mass shooting, their families confirmed Thursday.

abcnews.go.com

 

[girlhasnoname]

“I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away. I know this is wrong, but I can’t seem to stop myself,” the letter continued.

“I am severely depressed and have been suicidal for years.”

Trans Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman had disturbing history of red flags: ‘Why didn’t someone speak up?’

Westman, 23, had a sick fascination with school shootings and Adolf Hitler from an early age, and bounced between high schools as a teen.

nypost.com

She had petitioned to have her son’s name changed from Robert to Robin in 2020 — when he was 17, the judge writing, “minor child identifies as a female,” court records show.


“Only recently have I lost all hope and decided to perform my final action against this world,” Westman wrote in his apparent suicide note, indicating he believed he was “dying of cancer.”

“I don’t want to kneel down for the injustices. of this world. I want to die. I’d rather die on my feet than live on my knees, constantly in pain.

Then why didn't he just start with himself that day? Why choose to take innocent children's lives because of his perceived pain and thoughts?