Investigative reporters have discovered a series of videos on a YouTube channel believed to belong to Robin Westman. Although the channel has since been removed, the videos reportedly were uploaded on the morning of the attack. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that investigators believe the videos were posted by Westman. The disturbing content showed Westman’s collection of firearms, ammunition, and what appears to be a handwritten four-page manifesto addressed to family and friends, reported KSTP 5 Eyewitness News.
The contained handwritten manifesto expressed themes of severe depression, suicidal ideation, self-loathing, and a fixation on mass shootings.
ReutersA target with an image of Jesus Christ appears in a still image from an undated video that was previously posted to social media and filmed by Robin Westman
The manifesto included passages such as, “I don’t expect forgiveness … I do apologize for the effects my actions will have on your lives,” and admitted feeling “corrupted by this world” with “thoughts that do not go away.” It further stated, “I have wanted this for so long,” stated the report, underscoring long-standing mental health struggles.
The videos also showed an arsenal of firearms—rifles, shotguns, handguns—with magazines and ammunition marked by disturbing inscriptions and racial and religious slurs.
For example, one magazine had the phrase “kill Donald Trump,” and names of notorious mass shooters such as Adam Lanza (Sandy Hook perpetrator) and the Tree of Life synagogue shooter were written on weapons. Other inscriptions contained Holocaust references and calls for Israel to “fall” and “burn”.
Motivations and background
Investigators noted Westman’s deep obsession with past mass shooters and violent ideologies, as evidenced by the content and recordings. The manifesto, partially written in English and Cyrillic script, also revealed a diary-like exploration of despair and violent fantasies. One video included a diagram matching the layout of Annunciation Church, with a person stabbing the drawing with a knife while making unsettling remarks.Community researchers and experts on online extremism compared Westman’s materials to other recent cases involving nihilistic and provocative manifestos aiming to confuse or inflame public perception of violence. Westman had no criminal record and was not previously flagged for threats or violent behavior.
FAQs
Q: Who was Robin Westman?
A: Westman was a 23-year-old Minneapolis resident who identified as female but had been legally male, with a name change from Robert to Robin in 2020. Westman had no prior violent criminal record.
Q: What did the manifesto reveal?
A: The manifesto expressed severe depression, suicidal thoughts, and a long-standing desire to commit violence. It referenced hatred towards life, political grievances, and an obsession with previous mass shooters.
Q: How did the shooter carry out the attack?
A: Westman opened fire during a Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church, killing two children and injuring 17 others, using multiple firearms. Entrances were reportedly barricaded to prevent escape. Westman then died by suicide.
Q: How is law enforcement classifying this attack?
A: The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting the Catholic community.