A chilling handwritten note has revealed that the gunman behind the Minneapolis school shooting believed he was dying from lung cancer caused by vaping.
On 27 August 2025, a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis descended into horror when 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire.
Two children, aged 8 and 10, were killed, and 17 others, mostly children, were injured. The shooter died by suicide shortly after, in the church car park. Federal authorities are treating the attack as both a domestic terrorism case and an anti-Catholic hate crime.
Shooter Left Suicide Note Citing Cancer Fears
Investigators recovered a handwritten letter in which Westman confessed he believed vaping had caused terminal lung cancer. In the note, he wrote: '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.'
Signed 'Robin M Westman, 2002–2025', the letter concluded: 'I want to go out on my own means.' Authorities confirmed the letter was authentic and consistent with other writings discovered online.
Officials cautioned, however, that such statements represent only part of a complex picture. The FBI is continuing to analyse digital evidence, writings, and video material to establish a full understanding of the motivations behind the crime.
BREAKING:
— Evan Kilgore 🇺🇸 (@EvanAKilgore) August 27, 2025
Youtube just removed the alleged manifesto video of the Minneapolis Catholic School Shooter, Robin Westman.
Here are several screenshots from the video of the manifesto.
Absolutely evil. pic.twitter.com/UcvXwAtOND
Evidence of Extremist Beliefs and Premeditation
Westman posted disturbing videos online before the attack, later removed by YouTube and seized by federal investigators. These manifestos displayed firearms engraved with political slogans, antisemitic messages, and praise for notorious mass shooters.
In one recording, Westman was seen turning pages of notes while giggling and brandishing multiple rifles. Authorities later confirmed that schematic drawings of the Annunciation church and written tactical plans were also recovered. The combination of extremist rhetoric, ideological hatred, and meticulous planning led the FBI to classify the incident as both a terrorist attack and a religious hate crime.
Investigators also discovered that Westman's journal and manifestos contained overt expressions of antisemitism and violent intent, including slurs targeting Jewish people and references such as '6 million wasn't enough,' an explicit Holocaust denial message.
Ammunition magazines and weapons were marked with slogans like 'Destroy HIAS' and 'Israel must fall', along with threats against high-profile figures.
Disturbingly, the journal included musings about assassinating public personalities, ranging from political leaders to tech executives, indicating a convergence of extremist ideology, racial hatred, and violent premeditation.
Grieving Families and National Reaction
The two children killed during the Mass were remembered by their community as vibrant, loving pupils whose lives were cut short. Among the 17 wounded were 14 children and three elderly parishioners; several remain in critical condition in Minneapolis hospitals.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara called the massacre 'absolutely incomprehensible', condemning it as a 'deliberate act of violence against innocent children'. Mayor Jacob Frey urged compassion, warning against scapegoating: 'Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainise our trans community... has lost their sense of common humanity.'
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the federal terrorism designation, while President Trump ordered flags flown at half-mast until 31 August 2025. Pope Leo XIV expressed 'deep sorrow' for the victims and called for prayers, while political leaders renewed calls for stronger gun control measures to prevent future tragedies.
An entire congregation was shattered in less than two minutes, emphasizing the vulnerability of schools and churches to gun violence in the United States.
