Minneapolis Shooter Guns Carried Messages Like ‘Nuke India’
Minneapolis School Shooting: Gunman Opens Fire on Children During Mass
The city of Minneapolis is reeling after a devastating Minneapolis school shooting on August 27, 2025, when a 23-year-old gunman opened fire during a morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in the Windom neighborhood. The attack, which has been described by officials as one of the most harrowing acts of violence in Minnesota in recent years, left two children dead and 17 others wounded.
Minneapolis: Attack at Annunciation Catholic School
The shooting unfolded just before 8:30 a.m. inside Annunciation Catholic Church, where students, teachers, and parishioners had gathered for the first-week Mass. Armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, the assailant — identified as Robin Westman, a former student of the school — fired dozens of rounds through the church’s windows, striking worshippers inside.
Two young victims, aged 8 and 10, were killed while seated in pews. Fourteen other children, ages 6 to 15, and three elderly parishioners in their 80s sustained injuries. Despite the severity of the attack, medical teams confirmed by nightfall that all injured victims were expected to survive.
Weapons Inscribed with Disturbing Slogans
Law enforcement sources revealed that Westman’s weapons carried alarming inscriptions, including “Nuke India” and “Kill Trump Now.” Authorities believe the slogans reflect extremist ideologies and may help investigators determine the shooter’s state of mind.
Police later discovered a manifesto Westman had prepared, which included a video sketch of the church’s layout titled “Annunciation from memory” written in Cyrillic. The writings, described as “disturbing and incoherent,” were quickly removed from online platforms with assistance from the FBI.
Minneapolis: Swift Response and Acts of Heroism
Within minutes of the first shots, Minneapolis police and federal agents from the FBI and ATF surrounded the area, securing the school and evacuating terrified students. Teachers and older students displayed remarkable courage, shielding younger children under pews and guiding others to safe areas such as the preschool classroom.
Governor Tim Walz, briefed soon after, condemned the violence as a “horrific act that desecrated a sacred space and shattered lives.”
Medical Response to the Tragedy
Hospitals across Minneapolis mobilized to treat victims. Hennepin Healthcare received 10 patients, including eight children, several of whom required emergency surgeries. Children’s Minnesota Hospital treated seven additional victims, four of whom were discharged within hours. By the evening, doctors reported that critical patients had stabilized.
Dr. Thomas Wyatt of Hennepin Healthcare described the injuries as consistent with “high-velocity weapons,” adding that immediate surgeries saved multiple young lives.
Investigation and Terrorism Probe
The FBI has classified the Minneapolis school shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism and is investigating it as a possible hate crime. Authorities confirmed that Westman, who legally changed their name in 2020, had no prior criminal history but had recently visited the school grounds.
Investigators executed multiple search warrants, uncovering additional firearms and digital evidence of long-term planning. Early findings suggest Westman had been preparing the attack for more than a month, leaving behind writings filled with racist, antisemitic, and anti-political rhetoric.
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