Minneapolis is reeling from one of the deadliest school attacks in the city’s history after 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire during a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic School last week, killing two children and injuring 18 others before taking their own life.
Authorities confirmed that the shooter, who identified as transgender, fired 116 rifle rounds through the stained-glass windows of the church as hundreds of students and parishioners gathered for the first week of classes. The barrage of bullets left the community in shock, mourning the lives of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, who were fatally struck amid the chaos.
Sixteen other children and three parishioners in their 80s were also wounded in the attack. Survivors have described the terrifying scene of shattered glass, screams, and parishioners shielding students as bullets tore into the church.
Troubling Writings Reveal Obsession and Rage
As investigators search for a motive, disturbing details have emerged from writings and digital documents linked to Westman. In them, the shooter fixated on an ex-girlfriend, identified as 22-year-old Abigail Bodick, describing her as the “root of my suffering” and a “catalyst” for his unraveling.
The pair had dated for several years before a recent breakup, which Westman’s father confirmed to police. Social media images captured happier times: the couple attending anime conventions, working at craft fairs, and spending afternoons at aquariums. But in private writings, Westman raged against Bodick, mocking her “blue hair and pronouns,” and admitted to once pointing a gun at the back of her head.
“I felt no remorse or fear of killing them,” Westman reportedly wrote, “only concern that murdering Abbey would really f–k up my plans.”
Investigators say the writings also reveal a fascination with “furries,” fantasies of reinventing the self, and a fixation on guns. One chilling line read: “I bought it to kill kids.”
Motive Still Under Review
Police stress that the investigation is ongoing, with officers combing through hundreds of pages of notes, online posts, and surveillance footage. The shooter’s mother once worked at the school, though officials have not confirmed whether that connection factored into the attack.
What is clear is that Westman meticulously prepared. In addition to ammunition, investigators recovered gun magazines scrawled with political messages, including “Kill Donald Trump” and “for the children.”
A City in Mourning
As the community struggles to comprehend the tragedy, vigils have filled Minneapolis with candles, flowers, and children’s drawings. “This is a wound that will not heal quickly,” said Father Patrick O’Reilly, the parish priest, during a memorial service. “We lost two of our little ones who came here to learn, to sing, to laugh—and they were taken from us in an instant.”
Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, visited the church earlier this week, calling the tragedy “a day that will never leave my memory.” Political leaders across the spectrum have issued statements of grief, though debates over gun access and school security have already reignited.
The Search for Answers
For now, the families of Fletcher and Harper are preparing to bury their children, while survivors grapple with trauma that will last long after the national headlines fade. Investigators are expected to release more details in the coming weeks, but for many in Minneapolis, one truth is already painfully clear: no explanation will ever justify the terror unleashed in their church.