As Minneapolis mourns, investigators are piecing together the troubled life of 23-year-old Robin Westman, the suspected gunman in the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting. Warrants show Westman had recently moved out of a Richfield apartment after a breakup and was staying with a friend in St. Louis Park. Police say Westman drove to the church in a van registered to their father, whose Minneapolis home was later searched, yielding a tactical vest, computer drives, and documents now under review.
The attack erupted during morning Mass, sending parishioners scrambling as Westman, clad in black tactical gear, opened fire into the sanctuary. Two children—8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski—were killed, and 18 others were injured, most of them students. Authorities say Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A recovered journal-style manifesto, partly written in Cyrillic and phonetic English, revealed resentment, drug use, gender identity struggles, and intense conflict with Westman’s mother.
The investigation has widened to Florida, where the FBI visited a condominium tied to Mary Grace Westman, Robin’s mother. She has denied involvement through her attorney, saying she is “deeply distraught” and will only communicate via counsel. A welfare check at the Florida property the day before the shooting has not been linked to the attack. Federal agents remain tight-lipped as they continue searching for more answers.
Amid the grief, families of the victims are determined their children be remembered for their lives, not their deaths. Fletcher’s father described his son as a joyful outdoorsman who loved sports and cooking, while Harper’s parents remembered a “bright, joyful, and deeply loved” girl with a laugh that filled every room. They urged leaders to address gun violence and mental health, declaring, “Change is possible, and it is necessary.” With vigils growing outside Annunciation, officials say all 18 wounded survivors are expected to recover, crediting the quick action of staff and students that likely prevented even greater tragedy.
