What was supposed to be an ordinary day for many, with families heading to mass and students completing their first week of school, turned into horror and tragedy as bullets crashed against walls and bodies. The silence of happiness was deafening as all that could be heard were screams and cries for help. Many heroes were seen shielding their loved ones from the chaos, while the coward in question shielded themselves from the consequences of their actions.
What occurred?
Just before 8:30 am on August 27, 2025, Robin Westman, age 23, opened fire at Annunciation Catholic Church in the Windom neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shooting from the windows, injuring 21 people, both children and senior citizens, and killing two children, Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski. It was difficult for many to escape through a safe exit since the assailant had barricaded the doors before carrying out their attack. The gunfire lasted approximately two minutes and ended when the shooter committed suicide in the rear parking lot. 9-1-1 calls began coming in around 8:27 a.m., with many officers entering the church within minutes to aid the injured. There were 116 rifle bullet casings, one fully loaded pistol cartridge, and three shotgun shell casings on the scene that were retrieved by police afterwards.
Who was the assailant?
Robin M. Westman was born as Robert Paul Westman in 2002, to parents James Westman and Mary Grace Westman. Since seevnth grade, Robin began to show signs that should’ve been warnings to many. Disturbing behaviors from Westman were reported, such as praising Hitler and asking a girl “If there was a school shooting, where would you hide?” Throughout eighth grade, classmates said Westman was “different” for an eighth grader. Though lots of their classmates reported normal behavior, some expressed that Westman “would get mad sometimes, maybe more than a normal student would.” Westman would carry a notebook around, which a classmate picked up on when she saw their YouTube video and recognized Westman’s handwriting. Having graduated from Annunciation Catholic Church in 2017, their access to this school meant they would pick up on the layout of the church and school if, in fact, they’d been planning this attack for a while. Westman would go on to attend tw private high schools; it’s unclear if they graduated from either. In 2019, Westman’s mother filed to legally change the shooter’s name from Robert Paul Westman to Robin M. Westman.
Leading to the attack:
Westman’s obsessions with mass violence, killing children, mass shooters, and racist slurs should have made it clear to amny that he would eventually carry out an attack. But no on had any suspicion of Westman to have any sort of mental health diagnosis or issues to blame for these thoughts and feelings towards these topics. Earlier this year, while planning this deadly event, they expressed how they wanted to spare their family members the pain. Therefore, not wanting to go forward with their attack. In a more recent journal entry, Westman wrote, “I don’t want to f—g do this I hate myself. I cannot turn back. I cannot stop myself.” Journal entries show how Westman had found an online school schedule and was going to run a test to check the doors of the church. Four days before the attac, Westman would purchase a shotgun that wouldn’t be used in the shooting, but police would later report that the guns usd were purchased recently and legally. Westman, on the day of the shooting, would also go on to post a video on YouTube of a diagram that appears to be the inside of the church, mumbling in the background leading to them stabbing the middle of the page.
Aftermath
Of the 21 injured, almost half have since been deemed to not be in critical condition. Many suffered serious wounds, bullets stuck in their bodies which resulted in surgeries and extra care. The most painful reality was, however, the deaths of Fletcher Merkel (8) and Harper Moyski (10). The community and the families of the deceased continue to mourn them with open wounds that grow when they remember their children will never get the justice they deserve. Meanwhile, other parents were able to bring their children home from the injuries they’d survived.
Moyski’s mom describes her daughter as having been “fierce, funny, strong, and didn’t water herself down. And she really taught us to show up exactly as you are.” Merkel’s parents express how Fletcher “loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sport he was allowed to play,” adding, “Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You’ll always be with us.”
None of these families will be able to rest knowing that their kids never got the justice they deserved. Hug your friends extra tight today, express to your parents how much you love then, and tell your significant other how much they mean to you, for we will never know when it’ll be too late. At the rate at which these crimes are being committed, there’s no telling when out last day will be. Live cautiously, not fearlessly.
Works Cited
Tolan, C., Devine, C., Gordon, A., Ash, A., Kuznia, R., Miller, J., & Subkhanberdina, N. (2025, August 28). “There is no message”: Journal details warning signs, violent obsessions of Minneapolis shooter. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/28/us/journal-minneapolis-shooter-robin-westman-invs
Marino, J., Nerozzi, D., & Nesi, C. (2025, August 27). Exclusive | Minneapolis school shooter ID’d as trans woman Robin Westman — as apparent manifesto included “kill Trump.” New York Post. https://nypost.com/2025/08/27/us-news/minneapolis-catholic-school-gunman-idd-as-robin-westman-while-possible-manifesto-shows-psychotic-obsession-with-mass-shooters/
Live updates: Two children and suspect killed in shooting during Minneapolis Catholic school Mass. (n.d.). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/live/cly22nkpz8gt
