Shooter Went Through Breakup Before Deadly Attack on Catholic School

Minneapolis is reeling after a brutal attack at Annunciation Catholic Church and School that left two children dead, 18 others injured, and a community demanding answers.

Authorities confirmed the shooter as Robin M. Westman, 23, who opened fire during Wednesday morning Mass. Police say Westman arrived wearing tactical gear, armed with multiple legally purchased long guns, before turning one on himself.

“This was pure devastation,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a Thursday briefing. “We have children dead, families traumatized, and questions we still can’t answer.”

According to newly unsealed search warrants, Westman had recently endured a painful breakup and had moved out of his Richfield apartment to stay with an older friend in nearby St. Louis Park.

Westman’s father, James Westman, told police about his child’s deteriorating emotional state in the weeks before the massacre. Investigators searched James’s Minneapolis home, seizing a tactical vest, hard drives, and what they described as “miscellaneous documents.”

“This is every parent’s nightmare,” one neighbor told Fox affiliate KMSP. “Nobody saw this coming. He was quiet, polite… we never thought he was capable of something like this.”

Court documents reveal that Robin Westman was born Robert Paul Westman and legally changed their name in 2019. A filing signed by their mother, Mary Grace Westman, stated: “Minor child [redacted] identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”

Authorities confirmed Mary Westman once worked at Annunciation Catholic Church — the same parish where her child carried out the deadly shooting.

Federal agents visited a Florida condo owned by Mary Grace Westman as part of the investigation. Mary, however, has not cooperated with investigators, according to Chief O’Hara. Her attorney, Ryan Garry, said in a statement to Fox News:

“Mary is deeply distraught by what happened. She had no involvement in this tragedy and has retained counsel to protect her privacy.”

Investigators uncovered disturbing writings and videos believed to have been posted by Westman before the attack. According to Chief O’Hara, “The manifestos appeared to show him at the scene and included some extremely troubling commentary.”

Several YouTube videos tied to the suspect were deleted shortly after the massacre. In them, Westman displayed handwritten notes, weapons marked with painted messages, and cryptic rants hinting at a warped sense of purpose.

While Westman had no criminal record, NBC News obtained documents revealing a 2018 multi-agency response to a mental health crisis at one of Westman’s former addresses.

Minnesota has an “Extreme Risk Protection Orders” program — commonly known as a red flag law — which allows authorities or family members to block gun purchases for individuals showing signs of instability. However, such measures require someone to raise concerns.

“No one flagged him,” a Minneapolis city official told the Star Tribune. “If someone had, this could have been prevented.”

Outside Annunciation Catholic Church, a growing memorial of flowers, crosses, and handwritten notes honors the victims — two young children, ages 8 and 10. Parents held each other, some openly sobbing, as candles flickered in the late summer heat.

“This is hell on earth,” said parishioner Angela Ruiz, whose niece was injured in the attack. “Our babies were supposed to be safe here.”

Authorities are still piecing together Westman’s motive. The recent breakup, troubling manifestos, and a possible connection to the church through their mother paint a complicated picture — but not a clear one.

“This investigation is far from over,” Chief O’Hara stressed. “We owe these families the truth.”