Details of Robin Westman’s Manifesto: A Disturbing Glimpse into the Minneapolis Shooter’s Mind

Minneapolis, MN — August 27, 2025 — The manifesto and related materials attributed to Robin Westman, the 23-year-old suspect in the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, provide a chilling window into a deeply troubled individual driven by a mix of hatred, nihilism, and obsession with mass violence. Westman, who killed two children and injured 17 others before dying by suicide, posted a series of now-deleted YouTube videos and a handwritten notebook that authorities have confirmed as a manifesto, offering critical insights into the motives behind the attack. Below is a detailed examination of the manifesto’s content based on available reports, acknowledging that some details remain unverified or partially reported due to the ongoing investigation.

Overview of the Manifesto

The manifesto, primarily presented in a series of YouTube videos uploaded hours before the attack, consists of a handwritten notebook, described as a four-page document, and additional footage showcasing Westman’s weapons and ideological ramblings. The videos were posted under an account believed to be “Robin W” and were timed to coincide with the shooting at approximately 8:30 a.m. on August 27, 2025, during a morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the existence of the manifesto, noting its “disturbing writings” and that it was under active review to determine Westman’s motives.

The notebook, partially written in English and partially in Cyrillic script with some Russian words, contains a mix of personal grievances, suicidal ideation, hateful rhetoric, and references to infamous mass shooters. The videos, some lasting up to 20 minutes, also display Westman’s arsenal—a legally purchased rifle, shotgun, and pistol—along with ammunition and magazines marked with inflammatory messages. While the YouTube channel was taken down shortly after the attack, screenshots and clips circulated on X, though their full authenticity has not been independently verified by all outlets.

Key Contents of the Manifesto

1. Personal and Suicidal Writings:

   • The manifesto opens with an address to Westman’s family and friends, stating, “I don’t expect forgiveness … I do apologize for the effects my actions will have on your lives.” It continues, “I was corrupted by this world and have learned to hate what life is,” and “I have wanted this for so long. I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away.” These passages reveal deep self-hatred and a long-standing desire to commit a violent act.

   • Westman expressed suicidal intentions, writing phrases like “I wanna kill myself” and muttering similar sentiments in the videos, including “I’m going to kill myself” while stabbing a diagram of the church. One page includes “I’m so sorry” in large letters, and in the video, Westman whispers, “I love my family,” suggesting a conflicted emotional state.

   • A particularly alarming entry claims, “I think I am dying of cancer. It’s a tragic end as it’s entirely self-inflicted. I did this to myself as I cannot control myself and have been destroying my body through vaping and other means. I think I have lung cancer. I have felt many pains that make me think I am past the point of recovery. I do not want to recover.” This unverified claim of illness may reflect Westman’s justification for the attack or a delusional state.

2. Obsession with Mass Shooters:

   • The manifesto reveals a morbid fascination with mass shooters, particularly Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. Westman wrote, “I have a deep fascination with one man in particular: Adam Lanza,” and “Sandy Hook was my favorite, I think, exposure of school shootings.” Another passage disturbingly states, “I love when kids get shot, I love to see them torn apart,” indicating a fixation on the violence and suffering caused by such acts.

   • Westman’s weapons were inscribed with the names of other mass killers, including Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber), Robert Bowers (Pittsburgh synagogue shooter), and Brenton Tarrant (Christchurch mosque shooter), as well as a reference to Natalie Rupnow, the transgender shooter at a Nashville Christian school in 2024. These inscriptions suggest an attempt to align with or emulate infamous figures in mass violence.

3. Hateful and Extremist Rhetoric:

   • The manifesto contains virulent anti-Semitic language, with phrases like “If I carry out a racially motivated attack, it would most likely be against filthy Zionist Jews… FREE PALESTINE!” and a reference to the Holocaust with “six million wasn’t enough.” A smoke bomb found in Westman’s vehicle was marked “Jew gas,” further evidencing anti-Semitic hatred.

   • Anti-Christian sentiments are also prominent. Westman targeted Annunciation Catholic Church, where children were attending Mass, and displayed a shooting target with an image of Jesus in one video. Magazines were marked with phrases like “where is your God?” indicating a deliberate attack on religious faith.

   • Political hostility is evident in messages like “kill Donald Trump” written on a magazine and references to wanting to attack a target of “political or societal significance.” Despite some anti-fascist language and a trans pride flag sticker with “defend equality” and an AK-47, Westman’s beliefs defy a single ideological category, blending far-right violent tendencies with leftist slogans and nihilistic destruction.

4. Planning and Targeting:

   • The manifesto includes a hand-drawn diagram of Annunciation Catholic Church’s layout, with one video showing Westman stabbing the page while muttering about suicide. Westman described the church as an “easy target” and wrote, “Maybe I could attack an event at the on-site church. I think attacking a large group of kids coming in from recess is my best plan.” This indicates meticulous planning and a specific intent to target children during a vulnerable moment.

   • The notebook also contains schematic diagrams of firearms, including one labeled “Ruger Mark IV,” suggesting technical preparation for the attack. Westman’s videos display a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, and pistol, with magazines marked with messages like “for the children,” a chilling irony given the targeting of young victims.

5. Behavioral and Emotional Displays:

   • In the videos, Westman is described as “manically giggling,” coughing, and muttering disjointed phrases, including “hatred, kill yourself, I’m a terrorist… b----” in Russian. The presence of a pink vape and plumes of smoke during the recordings add to the erratic behavior.

   • One video shows Westman flashing a white supremacy hand sign and using racial slurs, further complicating the ideological picture. A shirt with a patch of the old Minnesota flag and the phrase “Do it before the anxiety kicks in” was also visible, possibly reflecting a mix of local identity and impulsive violent intent.

   
   

Context and Delivery

The manifesto was primarily conveyed through videos uploaded to a YouTube channel under the name “Robin W,” which was deleted shortly after the attack. One 11-minute video and a 20-minute video are frequently cited, with the latter showing Westman flipping through the red notebook and displaying weapons laid out on a bed. The videos were scheduled to post around the time of the shooting, suggesting a deliberate attempt to publicize the act. Screenshots and clips surfaced on X, but many outlets, including Hindustan Times, have not independently verified their authenticity, and some claims about pro-trans or pro-communist sentiments remain unconfirmed by law enforcement.

Westman’s connection to the school—having attended it and with their mother, Mary Grace Westman, having worked there until 2021—likely informed the choice of target. The manifesto’s reference to the church as an “easy target” and the inclusion of a detailed map suggest familiarity with the location. Authorities found a wooden plank used to barricade side doors, indicating premeditation to trap victims.

Investigation and Limitations

The FBI and Minneapolis Police are analyzing the manifesto and videos to establish a definitive motive, classifying the attack as domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. The manifesto’s chaotic mix of ideologies—anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, anti-Trump, and references to both far-right and far-left symbols—has complicated efforts to pinpoint a single driving force. Some sources note that Westman’s writings include “misdirection and trolling,” suggesting an intent to confuse or provoke.

Not all details of the manifesto have been publicly released, and translations of the Cyrillic and Russian portions are incomplete. KARE 11, a Minneapolis-based station, translated parts referencing suicide, school shootings, and the church, but much of the text was described as illegible or chaotic. The ongoing investigation includes searches of four locations tied to Westman, where additional firearms were recovered, and analysis of the digital trail to authenticate the videos.

Community and Official Response

The manifesto’s hateful content and Westman’s transgender identity, confirmed by a 2020 name change from Robert to Robin, have fueled polarized reactions. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged against vilifying the trans community, while some conservative commentators on X, like Libs of TikTok, highlighted the manifesto’s anti-Trump and pride flag imagery to frame the attack within broader cultural debates. The National Police Association referenced the manifesto in calling for studies on mass shootings involving transgender suspects, citing a prior case in Nashville.

The manifesto concludes with a call for prayers for the victims and their families, a stark contrast to its violent content, further highlighting Westman’s conflicted mindset. As the community grieves, the manifesto remains a key piece of evidence in understanding the tragedy, though its full scope awaits further investigation.

Note: Some details, particularly those from social media, remain unverified, and the manifesto’s contents are based on partial translations and reports. Authorities have not released the full document, and care should be taken with unconfirmed claims.

Cyrillic script - The Cyrillic script is a writing system used for various languages across Eurasia, including Russian, Bulgarian, and Serbian. It was developed in the 9th century, primarily to support the spread of Christianity among Slavic peoples, and is named after Saint Cyril, who, along with his brother Methodius, contributed to the creation of early Slavic writing systems.

Overview of Cyrillic Script

The Cyrillic script is a writing system developed in the 9th century, primarily for Slavic languages. It was created by the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius, who aimed to provide a written form for the Slavic peoples. The script is based on the Greek alphabet, with additional letters to represent sounds unique to Slavic languages.

Languages Using Cyrillic Script

Cyrillic is used for over 50 languages, including:

LANGUAGE	NUMBER OF LETTERS
Russian	33
Bulgarian	30
Serbian	30
Ukrainian	32
Kazakh	Varies
Kyrgyz	Varies
Tajik	Varies

Historical Development

• 9th Century: The script emerged in the First Bulgarian Empire to support the spread of Christianity.

• 10th Century: It was adopted by the Kievan Rus', influencing the development of Russian and other Slavic languages.

• 18th Century: Reforms under Peter the Great simplified the Russian alphabet.

• 20th Century: The Soviet Union promoted Cyrillic for various non-Slavic languages across Central Asia.

Current Usage

Cyrillic is the official script in several countries, including Russia, Bulgaria, and Serbia. It is also co-official in countries like Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Some regions have transitioned to Latin scripts, reflecting political changes and cultural shifts.

17GEN4.com

17GEN4 news