FBI Investigating Minneapolis Shooting As Domestic Terrorism, Hate Crime Against Catholics

FBI Director Kash Patel said on Wednesday afternoon that the bureau is investigating the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis “as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.”

Two children — ages 8 and 10 — were killed and 17 other people, including 14 children, were wounded when trans-identifying shooter Robin Westman fired into the building where students and staff were attending Mass on Wednesday morning. The wounded include 14 children between the ages of 6 and 15 and three adults in their 80s.

“The shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman,” Patel posted on X. “The FBI will continue to provide updates on our ongoing investigation with the public as we are able.”

Updates on the shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota:

The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.

There were 2 fatalities, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. In addition, 14 children and 3 adults were injured.

The… https://t.co/ErFZpSieKS

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) August 27, 2025

The FBI defines domestic terrorism as “violent, criminal acts committed by individuals and/or groups to further ideological goals stemming from domestic influences, such as those of a political, religious, social, racial, or environmental nature.” The bureau defines a hate crime as “a criminal offense against a person or property motivated in whole or in part by an offender’s bias against race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender, or gender identity.”

The Minneapolis shooter showed political and religious messages in videos posted Wednesday morning under an account connected to him. Some of the messages, which were written on firearms, said, “Where is your God?” “For the children,” “Kill Donald Trump,” and “Why so Queerious?” In one video, the shooter also showed a notebook that had writings filling multiple pages. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that the YouTube video showed Westman’s manifesto.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X, “This deeply sick murderer scrawled the words ‘For the Children’ and ‘Where is your God?’ and ‘Kill Donald Trump’ on a rifle magazine.”

“This level of violence is unthinkable,” she added. “Our deepest prayers are with the children, parents, families, educators, and Christians everywhere. We mourn with them, we pray for healing, and we will never forget them.”

Westman’s mother worked at Annunciation, according to Twin Cities local news station KARE 11. His mother also reportedly signed off on his name change in 2020, since Westman was still a minor when he began to identify as a female.

Two years ago, Minnesota Catholic leaders asked Democratic Governor Tim Walz for more help to protect their schools from shootings, but to no avail, as extra funding for security was never authorized, The Daily Wire reported.