Minneapolis School Shooter Identified as Transgender Former Student

The shooter responsible for killing two children and injuring at least 17 others at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis has been identified as Robin Westman, a 23-year-old transgender woman born Robert Westman. The attack took place during a back-to-school Mass around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Westman, a former student of the school, opened fire through the stained-glass windows in what authorities described as a carefully planned massacre.

Prior to the shooting, Westman uploaded several disturbing videos to YouTube, including one featuring a handwritten manifesto filled with coded messages, violent rhetoric, and apparent political motives. Phrases such as “kill Donald Trump” and “for the children” were scrawled on gun magazines. In one video, Westman spoke of wanting to be a “scary, horrible monster” and expressed admiration for the Sandy Hook shooter. He ended the video by stabbing a sketch of a church interior and muttering about suicide.

Westman had legally changed his name from Robert to Robin in 2020, citing a transgender identity. However, later writings suggest confusion about his gender identity. “I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man,” he wrote in a journal, adding that he enjoyed dressing in a way he described as “pretty, smart and modest” for the planned shooting.

Records confirm Westman’s long-standing connection to the school, where he graduated in 2017. His mother had worked there as a secretary until 2021. His writings detailed his plans to target large groups of children during specific school events to maximize casualties.

The case has triggered renewed national debate over mental health, extremism, gun access, and school security. Authorities continue to investigate the shooter’s background, online activity, and potential ideological motivations.