Back in his teenage years, Robin Westman found himself suspended for engaging in unsettling discussions about school shootings with his peers. This experience marked the igniting point for an obsession that simmered for years, which he later chronicled in a chilling journal.
A decade later, Westman returned to Annunciation Catholic School where he acted on these dark fantasies, leading to the unthinkable act of taking the lives of two children during a Mass while injuring 18 others.
As the community of Minneapolis grapples with this tragedy, investigators are sifting through Westman’s perplexing writings, some of which he shared in timely YouTube videos right around the attack, hoping to uncover his motives.
A CNN investigation into these pages—most penned in Cyrillic as a way to conceal the haunting details—raises a haunting question: Did those close to Westman overlook signs that could have stopped him from acquiring weapons for his violent whims?
Even as he planned the attack meticulously—sketching diagrams of the church and testing firearms—Westman expressed a contradictory yearning to be found out. After noting a relative’s comment about his “dark energy,” he scribbled: “FIND ME I AM BEGGING FOR HELP, I AM SCREAMING FOR HELP.”
On Thursday, authorities confirmed that Westman had recently gone to the Annunciation church, feigning interest in re-engaging with the Catholic faith. His journal reveals he scrutinized door handles and devised plans on how to trap victims while keeping an eye on teachers’ locations.
Though the police have labeled the entries as a “manifesto,” CNN’s review shows they read more like chaotic thoughts spilling onto the page rather than a clear agenda or political stance.
“This is not a church or faith strike, there is simply no message,” Westman declared in his writings.
His journal unveils a disturbing glimpse into his unresolved struggles. Desperation dripped from his pen as he lamented his inability to communicate with a therapist or family, fearing he would land on a watchlist.
According to Westman, he battled with both depression and violent ideation for many years. “I’ve got a loving family and support system wanting me to thrive. It’s just puzzling how having a good life doesn’t align with the desire to harm others,” he remarked.
Acknowledging his dark thoughts, Westman confessed, “Every school I attended inspired some violent fantasy at some point.” He traced this obsession all the way back to an incident in the seventh grade, nodding toward a chilling interaction where he asked a girl, “if there was a shooting, where would you hide?” Following her report to adults, he faced suspension for a week—much to his bewilderment.
Westman’s eight-grade classmates from Annunciation weren’t aware of any violent inclinations during their time together; personally, one classmate shared, “I just thought he was a bit different, but I never imagined anything like this.”
After leaving Annunciation in 2017, Westman enrolled in some high schools in Minneapolis, including a military-style prep school. However, it remains unclear whether he graduated.
A shift came in 2019 when Westmane’s mother requested his legal name change from Robert Paul Westman to Robin M. Westman, which duly reflected his identified gender.
His journal notes police guns used in the tragic incident—a rifle, a handgun, and a shotgun—initialized serious inquiries regarding how he secured these firearms, especially considering that officials didn’t have any history recording of previous mental health issues that could hinder his access to them.
Even while wrestling with urges toward violence, Westman subtly acknowledged the pain such actions could inflict upon his family, even pondering why they couldn’t see the storm brewing inside him.
“I thought my mom would’ve anticipated this since I’ve had past experiences with violent outbursts,” expressed Westman, illustrating the tragic irony faced by those who loved him.
Seeking consists of overarching questions surrounding Westman’s psyche in the wake of tragedy and how his family, friends, and society might better recognize such signals before it’s too late.
With police continuing their investigations into the sequence of Westman’s actions leading up to the shooting, the world watches with bated breath for answers to avoid such heart-wrenching incidents in the future.
