The deceased transgender shooter who opened fire on students and teachers at a Catholic church and school in Minneapolis on Wednesday “expressed hate” for nearly “every group imaginable,” said a federal prosecutor overseeing the investigation.
Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, said on Thursday that 23-year-old Robin Westman, who was born Robert, exhibited “pure, indiscriminate hate” against Catholics, Jews, and many other groups.
“The shooter expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable. The shooter expressed hate towards black people. The shooter expressed hate towards Mexican people. The shooter expressed hate towards Christian people. The shooter expressed hate towards Jewish people,” Thompson said.
He noted the shooter also hated President Donald Trump, whose name was invoked in a violent message on the suspect’s gun magazines.
“In short, the shooter appeared to hate all of us. The shooter’s heart was full of hate,” Thompson added.
Assisting the Minneapolis Police Department, the FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on Thursday that the bureau had determined “this was an act of domestic terrorism motivated by a hate-filled ideology” based on the evidence gathered so far.
Westman displayed an obsession with other mass shooters and a desire to kill children, according to officials. The mass shooters who inspired him were not named.
State and federal authorities are continuing to search for a clear motive as they comb through Westman’s manifesto. Initially posted on YouTube before getting taken down, the manifesto featured disturbing writings concerning Jews, children, and other groups.
It also included writings about how the shooter regrets transitioning, saying he may have “brain-washed” himself into identifying as transgender. He also bemoaned, “I am tired of being trans.”
The gunman’s mother signed a petition to change her child’s name from Robert to Robin in 2020, saying her child “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the purpose of the attack was to “obtain notoriety.” He asked the media to stop circulating the shooter’s name.
The tragedy prompted Gov. Tim Walz (D-MN) to deploy law enforcement at schools and religious centers across Minneapolis.
O’Hara revealed there were 20 total victims shot by the gunman. One child had initially been unaccounted for. Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed. There were 18 victims who survived, 15 of whom were children ranging in age from 6 to 15. The remaining three victims were in their 80s.
One child was left in critical condition, Hennepin County healthcare officials announced earlier Thursday. Hennepin EMS Chief Martin Scheerer said there was one child who suffered a “shotgun blast to his back” while protecting a fellow student.
Officers recovered 116 rifle rounds, one live handgun round, and three shotgun shells at the crime scene. O’Hara said the handgun “appears to have malfunctioned as the shooter attempted to use it and became stuck in the chamber.”
The three weapons he used were purchased legally. O’Hara said there was no diagnosis of mental illness or state-ordered treatment, meaning he wouldn’t have been prohibited from buying firearms.
Additionally, O’Hara said, “hundreds of pieces of evidence” such as electronic devices have been recovered after police executed four search warrants in the incident’s aftermath.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS ANNUNCIATION CATHOLIC CHURCH SHOOTING
Westman fired through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church toward people sitting in the pews for a morning Mass during the first week of school. The shooter previously attended the church, and his mother once worked for the parish, according to O’Hara.
Investigators believe the shooter tried to enter the church through the main entrance after he barricaded the side doors. However, he was unable to enter because the doors were locked. That was common practice for the church, which likely saved more lives than if the doors had been unlocked. The shooter then shot himself behind the church.