Warning: this article features references to suicide which some readers may find distressing
The shooting suspect believed to have killed two children at a Minneapolis Catholic school revealed what drove them to want to murder ‘so, so many people’ before taking their own life.
While celebrating Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday (August 27), 10-year-old Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel, 8, were shot dead by a 23-year-old named by police as Robin Westman.
18 others were injured in the heinous attack - 15 children and three parishioners in their 80s.
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Investigators confirmed that before allegedly killing Harper and Fletcher, Westman - who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound - left a so-called ‘manifesto’ behind, outlining their desire to murder.
According to officers, much of the manifesto was written in a homespun code that uses Cyrillic characters and English phonetic words.
In an entry, dated July 1, the gunman - who was listed as female on their driver's license and changed their name in 2020 - claimed that their mother Mary Grace Westman was ‘very antagonistic’ when they first came out to her as trans, alleging she made them think they’d ‘never be good enough’, as per the New York Post.
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“I remember one day, she said something like, ‘In the future you will look back and feel ridiculous about who you feel like you are inside. You will regret this.’
“Well guess what mom?! I regret being born.”
In another entry, Westman wrote how they were ‘unable to ask’ their mom ‘for help’.
“Your words, mother, made me stay in my discomfort unable to ask for help to avoid admitting defeat. You were right mama, but the way you handled it led me to wanting to kill so so many people,” it read.
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The gunman’s manifesto included their struggles with smoking weed as well as saying 'gender' had 'f**ked with my head'.
“I wish I never tried experimenting with either. Don’t let your kids smoke weed,” they said.
Westman wrote that they wished they could ‘stop vaping’ — claiming that if they stopped using e-cigarettes, then they wouldn’t commit the attack.
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“But I just don’t want to,” the accused killer continued.
The Minneapolis shooter reportedly wrote a separate note to his parents and friends, distinct from the chilling manifesto.
In the letter, the US native claimed their caregivers did not ‘fail’ them and that the love they bestowed was ‘appreciated’.
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“I feel I was raised to be a good person. I’ve kept those traits of empathy, self-sacrifice, and good character. Please do not think you have failed as parents.”
As per investigators, Mary Grace, who reportedly worked at Annunciation Catholic Church school before retiring, initially refused to help with their investigation.
Minneapolis Assistant Chief Christopher Gaiters said during a press conference on Friday (August 29) that a ‘conversation’ has now taken place.
CNN has reported that the assailant, who was a former pupil of the school associated with the church, had recently visited the establishment under the guise of being interested in reconnecting with the Catholic faith.
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It’s understood the Minneapolis shooter also harboured extreme anti-religious beliefs.
Kash Patel, director of the FBI, said his agency is currently treating the crime as an ‘act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.’
US President Trump has since condemned the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting, announcing that flags will fly at half-mast through Sunday, August 31.
“The FBI quickly responded, and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” the 79-year-old wrote via Truth Social.
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Data collected by CNN classified this as the 44th attack on American school students so far in 2025.
An investigation into the shooting is still ongoing.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 to reach a 24-hour crisis center or you can webchat at 988lifeline.org. You can also reach the Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741.
Ella Scott