The Minneapolis community is shattered during a back-to-school Mass when gunfire turned it into in bloodshed, and now, those who lived next door to the gunman say they never saw the darkness coming.
Smiles before the storm
Just two weeks before Robert Westman, 23, stormed a Catholic church and opened fire on children, neighbor James Loveridge said the young man seemed to be turning his life around.
“He seemed happy… just literally two weeks ago. Had a new, good job that he really liked,” Loveridge told The U.S. Sun. “I don’t understand any of this.”
The neighbor, who often spent time with Westman’s family, described them as “wonderful, kind, generous, amazing people” — making the rampage even more difficult to process.
“They’ve been the best neighbors I could ever imagine,” Loveridge said. “This is an absolute tragedy.”
A deliberate act of violence
The horror unfolded Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church, where students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade were attending their first week of school Mass.
Police say Westman, dressed in all black, arrived armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. He allegedly fired through the stained-glass windows, spraying bullets into pews packed with children.
Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed. At least 17 others were injured, including 14 children. Authorities say all injured victims are expected to survive.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the massacre a “deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping.”
Disturbing videos and writings
Investigators later uncovered a now-deleted YouTube account linked to Westman, where he allegedly uploaded a video before the attack where he giggled and muttered while showing weapons and disturbing writings, including magazines scrawled with chilling messages and a manifesto addressed to his parents, siblings, and friends. In it, he urged them to “pray for the victims and their families”, adding, “I love you all. I will remember you.”
In the clips, Westman showcased his weapons, magazines scrawled with chilling messages, while giggling and muttering to himself. He also displayed a handwritten letter to family and friends urging them to “pray for the victims and their families.”
One gun was marked with “Rupnow,” a reference to another school shooter, while notes included a sketch of a church layout.
Chaos in the pews
Parents and children described sheer panic as the shots rang out. Witnesses said 30 to 50 gunshots ripped through the church, leaving children ducking under pews and clinging to each other.
“He just pepper-sprayed through the stained-glass windows into the building,” one parent told the Star Tribune. “This is terrible. This is evil.”
Among the wounded was young Endre Gunter Jr., who was shot in the stomach. His grandmother later revealed he watched as another child was struck in the head beside him.
Community in mourning
Westman’s body was found in the rear of the church. Police confirmed he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The tragedy, which came just three days after the start of the school year, has left families devastated. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he was “praying for our kids and teachers,” while President Donald Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff to honor the victims.
For the neighbors who once saw Westman smiling in his yard, the heartbreak is even harder to reconcile. “No idea how any of this happened and why,” Loveridge said softly.
