Tragedy at Minneapolis Catholic School: Gunman With Political Ties Carries Out Deadly Attack

A devastating school shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis has left the community reeling, as investigators reveal disturbing details about the assailant and his connections to a former Republican lawmaker.

On Wednesday morning, 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire during a school Mass held at Assumption Church, killing two children and injuring 17 others. Witnesses described chaos and terror as the shooter fired through a stained-glass window and entered the sanctuary during services for Annunciation Catholic School, which serves grades K-8.

Westman, previously known as Robert Westman, is a biological male who had recently adopted a new identity. Law enforcement sources confirmed his mother once worked as a secretary at the school and that he had attended it himself as a child, graduating in 2017.

But it was Westman’s family connection to Bob Heleringer—a former Republican state legislator from Kentucky—that added an unexpected political dimension to the unfolding investigation. Heleringer, speaking to reporters, expressed heartbreak over the news, saying, “If he had done this to me instead of those children, I would have accepted it.” He added that he hadn’t seen Westman in years and was unaware of any recent contact between the two.

No clear motive has yet been confirmed, but authorities believe the act was premeditated and fueled by hatred. FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the massacre is being investigated as a domestic terrorism incident and a hate crime, citing anti-religious and anti-Trump messages found etched onto the weapons used in the attack.

According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, Westman entered the church heavily armed, carrying a rifle, shotgun, and a handgun. He was dressed entirely in black and appeared calm and focused as he moved through the pews, targeting young children in what officials are calling a “deliberate massacre.”

In the aftermath of the shooting, law enforcement uncovered disturbing online videos Westman had posted just hours before the attack. In one 20-minute recording, he appears wearing what he calls his “shooting outfit” and speaks with eerie calmness about his plan. Handwritten pages shown in the video included a personal manifesto written partly in code, using a mix of Cyrillic characters and phonetic English.

The manifesto revealed a fixation on school shootings, particularly referencing admiration for the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy. One chilling note read: “I like how I look today—smart, pretty, and modest. This is what I’ll wear when I do it.” He went on to describe his intention to create maximum tragedy with minimal resistance, targeting the school where he once studied and where his mother had worked.

Westman detailed various attack strategies in his writings, ultimately settling on an event at the church to inflict the most damage. One excerpt read, “I think attacking a group of kids coming in from recess could be best. Then I can go inside and continue until I’m stopped.”

The church’s Facebook page confirmed Westman’s mother, Mary Grace Westman, worked at the school for years before retiring in 2021. Parishioners say she was a kind, quiet presence in the school office, and the connection between her and the attacker has left many struggling to understand how such violence could emerge from such proximity to their community.

The shooter was ultimately killed during the incident, though authorities have not yet clarified whether he was shot by responding officers or died by suicide.

The tragedy has reignited political debates, especially around mental health, gun laws, and issues related to gender identity. Some Republican lawmakers referenced similar past attacks committed by transgender individuals, raising concerns about overlooked warning signs. Congressman Thomas Massie, R-KY, specifically criticized Minnesota’s ban on firearms on school grounds, arguing that such laws leave children defenseless.

“Deranged individuals target schools because they know there’s no one there to stop them,” Massie said in a statement. “This tragedy might have been prevented if there had been someone armed to protect those children.”

Meanwhile, former lawmaker Bob Heleringer—who previously advocated against gender reassignment treatments for minors—said he is praying for the victims and for his family, expressing sorrow that his nephew had committed such “unspeakable” acts.

As Minneapolis grapples with the aftermath of one of the deadliest school shootings in its recent history, grief counselors have been dispatched to support the affected families and the broader parish community.

Officials continue to review digital evidence, Westman’s history, and his disturbing manifesto in an effort to determine whether warning signs were missed and how similar tragedies might be prevented in the future.