The horrifying church Mass shooting in Minneapolis that claimed the lives of two children and injured 17 others is now under investigation alongside a chilling manifesto and coded journals left behind by the attacker, Robin Westman, 23.
Regrets and identity struggles
Court records show Westman, previously known as Robert, legally changed the name in 2020 after identifying as a woman. But in handwritten notes shared online before the shooting, Westman appeared deeply conflicted about that decision.
“I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself,” one entry read. “I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man.”
Westman described keeping long hair only as a reminder of identity, writing that cutting it would feel like “an embarrassing defeat.” Other passages revealed regret about never being able to achieve the body desired and frustration with medical limitations.
A dark obsession
The journals, some written in coded Cyrillic letters, revealed that Westman had been fascinated with mass killings since seventh grade and had recently immersed in videos of past mass shootings. “I have had thoughts of mass murder for a long time,” one entry read.
In one disturbing passage, Westman admitted wanting to be “the scary horrible monster standing over those powerless kids.” The writings referenced Sandy Hook gunman Adam Lanza and named other mass killers.
Emergency dispatchers would later describe the tragic aftermath inside the church, with responders calling for “all the gauze you have” as they rushed to treat the wounded inside the church.
Premeditation in chilling detail
Investigators say the journals showed clear planning, from scouting out school activities to considering the first day of classes or a holiday concert as possible targets. Notes described observing children outside the building and even pretending to fix a car nearby to count students.
Ultimately, the attack came during morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday around 8:30 a.m. Westman, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol purchased legally, opened fire through the stained-glass windows before taking their own life at the scene.
Final words
In the manifesto, signed “Robin M Westman, 2002-2025” and marked with a small bird drawing, the shooter left a message to family and friends: “Pray for the victims and their families. I love you all. I will remember you.”
For a community now shattered by grief, the journals offer a disturbing window into a troubled mind that turned dark fantasies into deadly reality. What began as the first week of school ended in heartbreak and questions that may never be fully answered.
