Minneapolis police have confirmed the identity of the gunman who unleashed a hail of gunfire inside Annunciation Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday morning, killing two children and injuring 17 others in what authorities are calling a deliberate act of violence against schoolchildren and worshipers.

Law enforcement sources told KARE 11 that the shooter was 23-year-old Robin Westman, who died by suicide after the rampage. Court records reveal that Westman legally changed his name from Robert to Robin in January 2020, after filing the request as a 17-year-old in Dakota County.

The newly uncovered documents confirm Westman’s transition and shed light on a potential connection to the school: investigators learned Westman’s mother previously worked at Annunciation School “in some capacity,” according to sources familiar with the inquiry.

The alleged shooter posted several videos on social media that revealed a deep hatred for Christians. Those videos have since been removed. “Where is your God?” read one magazine, according to reports.

The attack unfolded around 8:30 a.m. during a special morning Mass marking the first week of school for students at Annunciation Catholic School. Police say Westman arrived armed with a rifle, shotgun, and handgun, dressed in black, and began firing through the church windows after barricading some of the doors.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters during an emotional press conference. “The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible.”

Police confirmed that two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed instantly. Seventeen others were wounded, including 14 children. Hennepin Healthcare officials said 10 victims, eight children and two adults, arrived at the trauma center with gunshot wounds. Four underwent emergency surgery, and at least seven patients remain in critical condition, including six children as of now.

Authorities stated that Westman had no significant criminal history and was not previously on law enforcement’s radar. Early reports suggesting the presence of improvised explosives were dispelled by Chief O’Hara, who confirmed that no bombs were found inside the church or in the shooter’s vehicle, which was parked outside and is now part of the investigation.

Investigators believe Westman acted alone. Police are now combing through digital evidence and interviewing acquaintances to determine a motive. At this time, officials have not disclosed whether the name change or family connection to Annunciation School played a role in the attack.

The massacre has devastated the south Minneapolis community, with clergy members and parents gathering outside the church in tears as crime scene tape surrounded the historic building. Annunciation Catholic School, founded in 1923 and serving students in grades pre-K through 8, remains closed indefinitely as grief counselors are deployed to support students and staff.

President Donald Trump issued a statement expressing his condolences and said he had been briefed on the tragedy. The investigation remains active as authorities work to piece together what led to one of the deadliest school-related attacks in Minneapolis history.