The gunman who unleashed a storm of bullets inside a Minneapolis Catholic church, killing two young children and shattering a community, had meticulously planned the attack for months, scouting the location and leaving behind a trail of hate-filled writings that laid bare a singular, monstrous obsession.
Authorities revealed that the suspect, 23-year-old Robin Westman, visited the Annunciation Catholic Church within the last three months as part of her preparation. The attack, which occurred during an all-school Mass on Wednesday, was not a spontaneous act of rage but a premeditated assault fueled by what officials describe as “pure, indiscriminate hate.”
The shooter’s plan was detailed in hundreds of pages of writings and videos, a chilling portfolio of grievances that revealed a deep fixation with school shooters. But above all else, her motive was horrifyingly simple.
“More than anything, the shooter wanted to kill children — defenseless children. The shooter was obsessed with the idea of killing children,” said Joseph H. Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, at a somber news conference on Thursday.
The tragedy unfolded as students and teachers gathered for Mass. The gunfire erupted, sending panicked children and adults scrambling for cover from a hail of bullets and flying glass. When it was over, two students—an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old—lay dead in the pews. Eighteen others, including 15 children, were wounded.
The victim, 10-year-old Fletcher Merkel, was remembered by his grieving father outside the church. “Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today,” Jesse Merkel pleaded, asking that his son be remembered “for the person he was and not the act that ended his life.”
The suspect’s own life ended by a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed a critical detail that likely prevented even greater carnage: the church doors were locked after Mass began, a longstanding school safety practice. Frustrated, the shooter fired into the church through its narrow windows using three legally purchased firearms.
Investigators recovered three shotgun shells, 116 rifle rounds, and one live round from the shooter’s handgun, which had jammed. Despite the wealth of evidence, including antisemitic and racist language on her social media and a detailed drawing of the church’s interior posted to YouTube, Chief O’Hara stated investigators have not identified a specific “triggering event” or grievance against the church itself.
Westman, a former student at the school where her mother once worked, had no criminal record or history of state-ordered mental health treatment. According to court records, she had identified as female and legally changed her name from Robert to Robin at age 17.
In the aftermath, a community and a nation entering a new school year are left to grapple with the horror. For the wounded, the fight continues. Hospital officials confirmed that nine gunshot victims remain at Hennepin County Medical Center, including five children in stable condition, one adult and one child in serious condition, and one child in critical condition. Three other children are being treated at Children’s Minnesota hospital.
The attack embodies a pervasive national anxiety, bringing to life a worst nightmare for parents just days into the academic year. It is a stark reminder of a grim reality: while mass school shootings are rare, the threat is ever-present, with at least 250 people injured or killed on school grounds in each of the last three years—the highest number on record.