A mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis has left the community in shock. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire on students and teachers during a morning Mass on Wednesday. Federal authorities are investigating the incident as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime.

Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for the District of Minnesota, stated that Westman expressed hatred towards nearly every group imaginable. “The shooter expressed hate towards Black people, Mexican people, Christian people, and Jewish people,” Thompson said. He added that Westman also harbored animosity towards former President Donald Trump. “In short, the shooter appeared to hate all of us,” Thompson noted.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara described Westman as having a “deranged obsession” with previous mass shooters. He emphasized that the shooter aimed to cause terror and trauma for personal notoriety. “More than anything, the shooter wanted to kill children, defenseless children,” Thompson said.

The attack resulted in the deaths of two children, ages 8 and 10, and injured 18 others, including 15 children aged 6 to 15. All injured victims are expected to survive. Westman did not enter the church but fired through stained glass windows, targeting those inside. O'Hara remarked, “These children were slaughtered by a shooter who could not see them.”

Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Authorities recovered three firearms, including a rifle, shotgun, and handgun, all of which were legally purchased. O'Hara reported that the handgun malfunctioned during the shooting.

Investigators are examining a manifesto and videos linked to Westman, which contained disturbing content about various groups and a desire to harm others. The manifesto, initially posted on YouTube, included writings about regret over transitioning and feelings of being “tired of being trans.”

Westman’s mother had petitioned to change her child's name from Robert to Robin in 2020, citing her child's identification as female. The police chief confirmed that Westman had previously attended the school and that the mother had worked for the parish.

In response to the tragedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has deployed law enforcement to schools and religious centers across the city. Mayor Jacob Frey emphasized the need for gun control, stating, “Prayers, thoughts, they are certainly welcomed, but they are not enough.”

As the investigation continues, authorities are searching for a clear motive behind the attack. O'Hara mentioned that hundreds of pieces of evidence, including electronic devices, have been collected. The community mourns the loss and grapples with the aftermath of this violent act.