There have been attempts or actions involving transgender identification in connection to several mass shootings in recent years.
Take, for instance, the March 2023 incident at a Presbyterian school in Nashville. A woman who identifies as transgender tragically attacked the school, resulting in the deaths of three nine-year-olds—Eve Lindiki House, William Kinney, and Harry Scruggs—along with three adults.
“I wish her name reflected her identity as a woman,” someone noted.
In another case from April 2024, a woman identifying as male plotted to carry out a shooting at schools in Maryland, but thankfully, authorities intervened before any harm was done, leading to her conviction.
Media outlets with a liberal slant often use the preferred pronouns of these individuals, suggesting a desire to accommodate the offenders while also attempting to engage with LGBTQ+ activists.
In a shocking incident, a man identifying as transgender, previously known as Robert Westman, opened fire in a Catholic church in Minneapolis, injuring several children aged 17 and 10. When news broke that the shooter identified as transgender, many in the media rushed to respond, perpetuating this narrative.
During a segment on CNN, host JK Tapper referenced the gunman’s mother, who sought to change her child’s name in 2019. The child was once named Robert Paul Westman but is now referred to as Robin, reflecting her identification.
Meanwhile, outlets like Newsweek and the Daily Mail initially defaulted to male pronouns for the shooter but later updated their articles to include female pronouns in alignment with the individual’s identity.
Some articles also noted discrepancies, with mentions of the shooter as “she” or using plural pronouns like “they.” For instance, The New Republic and The Guardian refrained from using male pronouns, even though there were conflicting narratives about the shooter.
In the aftermath of the Covenant School shooting in 2023, several publications struggled to maintain consistent language regarding the shooter. One contributor noted that when discussing tragic events, it’s important to recognize that identity shouldn’t overshadow the gravity of the crime.
A Virginia lieutenant colonel weighed in on the dialogue, stating emphatically that the individual who took six lives should not be defined solely by their gender identity. “This person killed six people. I really don’t care who they identify as,” was his clear message.
“Why should we be concerned about identity in a situation where lives have been lost?” he added, emphasizing a broader need for accountability.
