RFK Jr. looking into whether medication used during Robin Westman’s transition influenced the mass shooting.

Investigation into Transgender Shooter’s Medication Links Announced

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. revealed on Thursday that an investigation has been launched into whether the medications taken by transgender shooter Robin Westman during his transition could have influenced his violent actions.

During an appearance on Fox & Friends, Kennedy relayed that they are currently researching this matter. He responded to a query about whether the drugs associated with Westman’s transition were connected to the shooting incident at his former Catholic school on Wednesday.

“We are starting a study of their potential contributions,” he mentioned, particularly highlighting that another recent school shooter, Audrey Hale, was also transgender.

While the Secretary did not specify which medications Westman or Hale were on, he expressed concerns regarding selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly used to treat depression.

“Some of the SSRI drugs and other psychotics may contribute to violence,” Kennedy cautioned.

He further noted that many SSRIs come with black box warnings indicating potential risks for suicidal thoughts and violent behavior, making it crucial to investigate these possibilities.

The Secretary acknowledged that previous studies in this area had been impeded by strict patient confidentiality rules. However, he emphasized that his department can bypass these regulations to explore any connections between these medications and mental health issues.

He reflected, “In the past, there wasn’t a trend of people entering schools or churches to commit such acts.” Kennedy pointed out that this phenomenon is more pronounced in the U.S. compared to other countries and underscored the importance of examining all potential contributing factors.

Coach Kash Patel reported that the FBI is looking into these domestic terrorist acts as hate crimes specifically targeting Catholics.

Westman, 23, had changed his name from Robert to Robin in 2020, citing long-standing issues with suicidal thoughts.

His actions bore similarities to the 2023 Nashville mass shooting, which was also perpetrated by a transgender individual who had transitioned from female to male and had links to a Christian school she attended.

Westman, like Hale, did not have any prior criminal history. He was also a former student of the school he attacked, the Announcement Catholic School and Church, where his mother had worked during her retirement in 2021.

During the attack, the shooter barricaded the doors during the school’s first mass and fired multiple rounds through the stained glass windows, resulting in tragic casualties.

Two children, aged 8 and 10, were tragically killed while praying in the church, and of the 17 others injured, 14 were also children. Thankfully, though critically injured, the rest are expected to survive.