Minneapolis Shooter’s Motives Revealed

A report from the Crime Prevention Research Center (CPRC) released on Wednesday sheds light on the motivations of the Minneapolis trans shooter, revealing a desire to emulate notorious mass shooters James Holmes and Adam Lanza by targeting unarmed individuals.

James Holmes was responsible for a deadly attack on a cinema in Aurora, Colorado, in 2012, resulting in 12 fatalities and numerous injuries. Adam Lanza carried out the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, the same year, claiming 28 lives and injuring others.

The CPRC report discusses the trans shooter who fatally shot two children at a Catholic school, suggesting a pattern of targeting settings where victims are defenseless, similar to the attacks by Holmes and Lanza.

In a translation of part of the shooter’s manifesto, which was originally written in Russian, the shooter expressed admiration for Holmes, noting a preference for “gun-free zones” to ensure victims are unarmed. This reflects a chilling outlook on their choice of targets.

I heard that James Holmes chose a “gun-free zone” for his attack. I feel the same way… It’s about ensuring that victims are unarmed. Schools are particularly appealing to me. Adam Lanza is a significant influence on my thoughts.

The manifesto indicated a lack of interest in areas with security measures, which tend to include armed defense, reinforcing a focus on schools as ideal locations for such attacks.

In 2018, CPRC published findings stating that 97.8% of mass shootings over the past 68 years occurred in “gun-free zones.” This statistic raises ongoing concerns about safety in these environments.

Recent events illustrate these concerns; Breitbart News reported on August 9, 2025, that three individuals were shot in a gun-free Times Square in New York City, shortly after five soldiers were killed at Fort Stewart.