Gunman Robin Westman attributed the shooting to his mother’s warning against changing gender and advised against allowing children to transition.

Minneapolis Gunman’s Disturbing Manifesto

In a bewildering account, 23-year-old Robin Westman expressed distress over his mother’s choice to attend Catholic schools, identifying her as a source of his frustration. He cautioned that he might come to regret his transition to a woman.

Westman’s manifesto included an entry from July 1, highlighting concerns about an impending visit from his mother, who had expressed worries regarding his gender transition.

“Mom, your words made me feel trapped, unable to seek help, and the way you handled it pushed me towards thoughts of violence,” he remarked.

In his rambling thoughts, he seemed to connect his use of marijuana with violent tendencies. He noted, “The gender and the weeds messed with my mind. Please don’t let your child experiment with these things before they’re mature enough.”

The manifesto featured entries composed in a mix of Cyrillic and English, suggesting a complex pattern of thought. Westman reflected on his gender issues, specifically pondering what might change in a conversation with his mother, Mary Grace.

He recalled an initial hostile reaction when he came out to her, saying, “She really frowned upon it, and I felt I’d never be enough.” Looking back, he wrote, “I think you’ll look back one day and find this all absurd. You’ll regret it.” He added, “What do you think I feel like?! I sometimes regret even being born.”

Mary Grace had formally approved Westman’s legal name change from Robert to Robin back in 2020, when he was just 17. Having previously worked at the Announcement Catholic School where Robin graduated, she has largely refrained from discussing the motive behind her son’s violent act, according to investigators.

“We haven’t been able to communicate with the shooter’s mother,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated in a press briefing. “We’re continuing our efforts to reach her.”

Although she hasn’t spoken to the police yet, she has retained a criminal defense attorney. Despite the strong emotions expressed in his manifesto, Westman also wrote letters to his family, affirming his love for them and insisting they shouldn’t blame themselves for his actions.

“You didn’t fail me; you gave me an abundance of love. I’m thankful for what you provided,” he said to his parents. “I believe I was raised with strong values of empathy and kindness.”

In a series of troubling online videos, he acknowledged feeling brainwashed and expressed a desire to change his appearance, planning to cut his long hair prior to carrying out the attack.

Westman also mentioned struggling with vaping, which he believed could be detrimental to his health, and he admitted that he had been struggling with these harmful habits along with his violent fantasies.

His horrifying actions came to a head on Wednesday when he fired into a church during morning mass, tragically claiming the lives of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moysk.