Minneapolis School Shooter Leaves Horrifying Anti-Trump, Anti-India, Anti-Israel Messages on Weapons During Catholic Mass Attack
IIE DIGITAL DESK : The early hours of August 27, 2025, Minneapolis was rocked by an unspeakable tragedy: during a morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School, a lone gunman opened fire through the stained-glass windows, claiming the lives of two children—aged eight and ten—and injuring 17 others, including both young students and elderly parishioners .
Authorities later identified the assailant as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a transgender individual whose birth name was legally changed from Robert to Robin in 2020 to reflect her female gender identity . Westman tragically ended her own life at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound .
Law enforcement confirmed that all weapons used— a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol—were legally purchased by Westman, who had no known prior criminal history . Following the shooting, additional firearms were recovered from her residence, suggesting premeditated intent .
What made the incident especially chilling were the messages scrawled across the weapons and magazines exhibited in videos Westman posted on a YouTube channel shortly before the attack. These messages included “NUKE INDIA,” “Kill Donald Trump,” “Israel must fall,” “6 million wasn’t enough,” and a reference to “Mashallah,” among other hateful slogans—some written in Cyrillic script—with nods to previous mass shooters .
The videos, which also showed magazines labeled with slurs and imagery mocking God, were taken down shortly after posting, but not before they captured the attention of investigators, highlighting possible ideological motivations behind the atrocity .
Central to the investigation are concerns that Westman’s actions and recorded rhetoric point to a hate crime and a domestic terrorism act—an interpretation supported by FBI Director Kash Patel and local authorities as they probe the motives behind the bloodshed .
Amid the tragedy, the community rallied with compassion and resolve. In a city still grappling with shock, leaders including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the violence and urged unity rather than division—especially in light of Westman’s transgender identity. Mayor Frey notably cautioned against allowing this tragedy to fuel transphobia, pleading for empathy toward marginalized communities even as the public mourned .
The broader Catholic community responded as well: Archbishop Bernard Hebda and Bishop Kevin Kenney provided spiritual solace at Hennepin County Medical Center, while Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram expressing his heartfelt condolences .
Vigils sprouted across Minneapolis, including a tearful gathering at the Academy of Holy Angels, where more than 600 people shared prayers and hymns in memory of the innocent victims . Minnesota’s Muslim and interfaith organizations joined these calls for peace, asserting that hatred must never overshadow love.
Officials emphasized that “thoughts and prayers are not enough”—calling for urgent action on gun legislation and better mental health support to prevent such horrors from happening again .
This massacre marks yet another grim chapter in the harrowing toll of gun violence within U.S. schools. Already the 146th such incident in 2025 alone, the attack underscores a lingering crisis of public safety and ideological extremism .
As Minneapolis mourns, its people refuse to be defined by this violence. Instead, they stand united—dedicated to honoring the young lives lost and confronting the ideologies that fueled such brutal hatred.
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