One child wounded in the mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school is in critical condition Thursday morning, one day after the horrific tragedy, hospital officials said
At least nine other victims are still being treated at area hospitals.
Disturbing revelations since the Annunciation Catholic School massacre paint a chilling portrait of Robin Westman as a deeply deranged young man who was by any yardstick a ticking time bomb — prompting many as-yet-unanswered questions about how such obvious warning signs were missed.
Westman, 23, had a sick fascination with school shootings and Adolf Hitler from an early age, and bounced between high schools as a teen while harboring suicidal feelings and saying he believed “life is pain.”
In his sprawling, crazed manifesto, scheduled to post on YouTube at the time of the killings, Westman voiced a lifelong admiration for mass murderers, particularly Adam Lanza, perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
“Sandy Hook was my favorite, I think, exposure of school shootings,” he wrote of the worst elementary school shooting in US history, which happened when he was in fourth grade.
The mother of transgender Minneapolis mass shooter Robin Westman is not cooperating with police in the investigation, authorities announced on Thursday.
Mary Grace Westman, who worked at Annunciation Catholic School, which was targeted by the deranged 23-year-old gunman Wednesday morning, has not contacted police — nor responded to their attempts to reach her, Minneapolis police announced at a press conference Thursday.
“We have not been successful in talking to the shooter’s mother,” Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.
One of the young students killed in a mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church was identified Thursday as his father tore into the “coward” gunman who took his son’s life.
Fletcher Merkel, 8, and another 10-year-old student “were killed where they sat” in pews during a back-to-school Mass when 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Church and Catholic School on Wednesday.
Fletcher Merkel, 8 was identified as one of the children killed in the deadly school shooting in Minneapolis. Family handout
Jessie Merkel, Fletcher’s father, struggled to fathom how the actions of such a “coward” could’ve taken his son away.
“Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sports that he was allowed to play. While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time, our family can find healing,” the heartbroken father said at a press conference.
WASHINGTON — The third-ranking House Republican called Thursday for Minnesota to repeal its "trans refuge" law in an exclusive interview with The Post following Wednesday's deadly shooting targeting Catholic school students in Minneapolis.
"We got to respect everyone. We got to have compassion for everyone. But we got to understand that we've got some serious mental health issues that are being exacerbated by these types of messages by people like Tim Walz and everybody who supported that law," said House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, whose district covers many of the Twin Cities' outer northern and western suburbs.
"They should immediately repeal it, but they won't," Emmer added. "They have been encouraging this type of confusion. This poor young man was tortured. He clearly had serious mental health issues and rather than actually helping him, they were actually exacerbating it."
The 2023 legislation, signed by Democratic Gov. Tim Walz blocks out-of-state subpoenas, arrest warrants and extradition requests for people who travel to the Land of 10,000 Lakes from other states for sex-reassignment surgeries or hormone treatments.
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer called Thursday for Minnesota to repeal its "trans refuge" law in an exclusive interview with The Post. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Critics have also argued the law is written broadly enough to pave the way for parents to lose custody of their children if they oppose transition procedures.
Robin Westman, born Robert Westman, killed two children and wounded 17 others -- including 14 youngsters -- at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School Wednesday morning before turning the gun on himself.
Emmer also slammed Democratic officials and liberal pundits for criticizing those asking for prayers amid the tragedy.
"Contrary to what my Minneapolis mayor says," the lawmaker said of Jacob Frey, "we are keeping all of these families in both shootings and the victims that are involved in our thoughts and prayers."
Hours after Westman opened fire through the windows of the church while students were praying at Mass, Frey had said at a press conference: "Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now: These kids were literally praying."
"It really is a slap in the face to the victims and their families for the young, immature mayor of Minneapolis to suggest that this is not a time to have thoughts and prayers," Emmer said. "That's so inappropriate."
Donations are pouring in to help the family of an Annunciation Catholic School 8th grader wounded in Wednesday's shooting during a morning Mass.
Endre Gunter, 13, was shot twice by the deranged, transgender gunman, his aunt says in a GoFundMe.
Endre Gunter, 13, was rushed into surgery after being shot at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Gofundme
"It's impossible to make sense of this act of violence against children, in a place that should have been a sanctuary of peace and safety," Gunter's aunt, Natalie Davis, wrote on the GoFundMe page to raise money for medical bills and counseling.
Before he was rushed into surgery, Endre looked at the surgeon with one simple, powerful request, "Can you say a prayer with me?" according to Davis.
Endre Gunter (left) pictured with his grandmother and sister in an undated Instagram photo. Instagram/Denise Roberts
Endre Gunter (3rd from left) pictured with his family in an undated Facebook photo. Facebook/Danielle Gunter
She gave an update on her nephew's health, saying "the surgeon later told us that not only did Endre survive the surgery, he fought through a terrifying event with courage that inspired the entire medical team.
"While the road ahead is long, we are beyond grateful he is still with us. The emotional and physical healing ahead will take time and resources."
The GoFundMe had a set goal of $60,000 earlier Thursday, but that was increased to $100,000 as donations poured in. At the time of this writing, the fundraiser has racked up more than $57,000.
Any disturbing social media posts made by the Minnesota gunman should have been shared with law enforcement, an official in the state has said at a Thursday press conference, in response to a reporter's question about his actions online and whether they should have prohibited him from purchasing a gun.
"This individual was not arrested for anything that would prohibit them from being able to purchase a firearm. There was not substantive police contact with this individual," said Drew Evans, Superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
"There is a specific criteria in terms of how an individual can purchase a firearm legally in Minnesota," he said. "We need the help of the public and everybody else. If there's concerning social media behavior by anybody... that they're contacting their local law enforcement so that we can adequately address it in the process.
The Minneapolis Catholic school gunman had a "deranged fascination with mass shootings," and "demonstrated hatred" toward countless groups and individuals, according to police.
Robin Westman intended to "achieve notoriety" for himself, said Minneapolis Chief of Police Brian O'Hara at a Thursday press conference.
The chief also announced an increased police presence at schools and houses of worship in the city.
The investigation into Wednesday's mass shooting is "two-fold," acting US Attorney Joseph H. Thompson told reporters.
They're probing the shooter, who Thompson confirmed "acted alone," and investigating his motive by going through hundreds of pages of the killer's writings.
"The shooter expressed hate toward almost every group imaginable," Thompson said, listing Black people, Mexicans and Jews as among the groups mentioned in the shooter's writings.
"The only one group he didn't hate: the school shooters and mass murderers," he said.
Police said at this afternoon's press conference that they have three known addresses for trans murderer Robin Westman, but haven't determined which one he was living in just before the shooting.
The morning Mass that the Minneapolis murderer targeted was a daily service, the city's police chief Brian O'Hara said just now at a presser.
He confirmed that the shooter knew children and teachers would be inside Annunciation Church at that time, and that the deranged trans woman's intent was to kill as many children as possible.
The only thing special about Wednesday's Mass was that it was celebrating the start of a new school year. The elementary Catholic schoolers had just returned from summer break on Monday.
One of Minneapolis gunman Robin Westman's three weapons — a handgun — used in the Annunciation Catholic School and Church shooting malfunctioned, the city's police chief said in a law enforcement press conference Thursday.
One hundred and sixteen rifle rounds were recovered from the scene, chief Brian O'Hara added.
"One live round was recovered in a handgun that appeared to malfunction as the gunman attempted to use it, and became stuck in the chamber," he told reporters.
Three shotgun shells and 116 rifle rounds were also recovered.
In Westman's final YouTube video, he showed a handgun that he said he intended to use to take his own life.
Describing the "heroic" actions of law enforcement, chief O'Hara said officers had been called at 8:27 a.m. local time, and that the first responders, with no helmet or SWAT gear, arrived at the school and church just four minutes later.
The onus for ending mass shootings lies on politicians, a parent and activist from Minneapolis has told reporters on Thursday in the wake of the deadly attack on Annunciation Catholic School and Church.
"Assault weapons are weapons of war. Period," said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action.
"Assault weapons are weapons of war. Period," said Angela Ferrell-Zabala (left), executive director of Moms Demand Action. "Politicians would rather protect the gun lobby's profits than protect our kids." Youtube/City of Minneapolis
A parent holds a child and flowers outside Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 28th, 2025. Steven Garcia for NY Post
"Politicians would rather protect the gun lobby's profits than protect our kids," she said, adding that the children who hid in the church while Robin Westman carried out his attack had shown "more courage" than elected officials.
"If children can show that kind of bravery under fire, then why can't our lawmakers?" Ferrell-Zabala said. Steven Garcia for NY Post
"If children can show that kind of bravery under fire, then why can't our lawmakers?" she demanded, before pointing to some of the recent legislation to ban assault rifles in Colorado and Rhode Island.
"The only ones standing in our way? Politicians too cowardly to act. And to that I say, the lives of our children are not for sale," she said.
America's gun crisis must be solved at a Washington level, Minnesota State Rep. Emma Greenman said in a press conference Thursday.
Denouncing the attack on the "beautiful" community of Annunciation Catholic School and Church, she also rejected claims that so-called gun-related "red flag laws" don't work.
"That's not true," she insisted.
Minnesota State Rep. Emma Greenman (far-right) rejected claims that so-called gun-related "red flag laws" don't work in a press conference Thursday. Youtube/City of Minneapolis
"It makes me sick that our teachers and kids know what to do in the event of an attack," Greenman said. Steven Garcia for NY Post
"It makes me sick that our teachers and kids know what to do in the event of an attack," she said, echoing statements from her fellow Minnesota Dems, Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis and US Sen. Ilhan Omar.
