Wednesday morning’s shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, which left victims two dead and 17 wounded, is being investigated as a hate crime by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI Director Kash Patel announced in the hours following the incident.
“The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics,” Patel reported in a social media post. “The FBI will continue to provide updates on our ongoing investigation with the public as we are able,” Patel wrote, providing details of the tragedy:
“There were 2 fatalities, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. In addition, 14 children and 3 adults were injured.
“The shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman.”
While a biological male, Westman identified as transgender, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reported in a post, citing the violent, hateful comments scrawled on the murder weapon:
“We have confirmation that the shooter at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, MN was a 23 year-old man, claiming to be transgender.
“This deranged monster targeted our most vulnerable: young children praying in their first morning Mass of the school year. This deeply sick murderer scrawled the words ‘For the Children’ and ‘Where is your God?’ and ‘Kill Donald Trump’ on a rifle magazine.”
“This level of violence is unthinkable. Our deepest prayers are with the children, parents, families, educators, and Christians everywhere. We mourn with them, we pray for healing, and we will never forget them,” Noem wrote, offering her condolences to the victims and their loved ones.
Westman reportedly shot and killed himself at the end of his murderous assault.
