The mother of Robin Westman, who turned a Minneapolis school’s church service into a bloodbath, has chosen not to talk and hired a criminal lawyer.
Mary Grace Westman’s silence comes after her 23-year-old child went on a shooting spree during the back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic School.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us,” said father Jesse Merkel, whose child was shot through the church’s stained-glass window while sitting in his pew.
The mother of shooter Robin Westman has chosen not to talk and hired a criminal lawyer
Image credits: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Trigger warning: this article contains graphic details that may be distressing to some.
Students and adults had gathered together for the Mass when the school’s former pupil Robin launched a gruesome massacre on Wednesday, August 27.
The shooter barricaded the doors and sprayed a barrage of bullets at the children.
Victims Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, lost their lives in the rampage and around 18 others were left injured, including 15 kids.
Cops also found Robin’s body in the back of the church with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Image credits: KVUE
Following the carnage, Robin’s mother Mary chose silence and has not spoken to law enforcement officials.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said they conducted dozens of interviews so far with the suspect’s relatives, friends, and associates as well as witnesses to the massacre. But they haven’t managed to get in touch with the mother.
“We have not been successful in talking to the shooter’s mother, yet, at this time,” the police chief said during a news conference Thursday. “But there continue to be efforts made to get that done.”
“She is completely distraught about the situation and has no culpability…,” Mary‘s criminal lawyer said
Image credits: Annunciation Catholic School
Mary, who worked as a secretary at the Annunciation school for five years before her 2021 retirement, has also retained criminal defense attorney Ryan Garry.
“She is completely distraught about the situation and has no culpability but is seeking an attorney to deal with calls like this,” Ryan told Fox News when asked about why Mary had obtained a criminal lawyer.
Image credits: WDIO
Robin, born Robert Westman, had applied to change birth names in Dakota County at the age of 17.
Mary seemed supportive of Robin’s gender-identity change and applied for the legal name change at the time.
“Minor identifies as female and wants her name to reflect the identification,” she wrote in 2019, as per court documents.
However, Robin seemed conflicted with the gender-change prior to the shooting spree.
Mary seemed supportive of Robin’s gender-identity change and reportedly applied for the legal name change
Image credits: marygracewestman
In journal entries, the suspect spoke about “being trans.”
“I only keep [the long hair] because it is pretty much my last shred of being trans. I’m tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself,” the suspect wrote in one entry.
Image credits: CBS News
“I can’t cut my hair now as it would be an embarrassing defeat, and it might be a concerning change of character that could get me reported. It just always gets in my way. I will probably chop it on the day of the attack,” the writing continued.
“I regret being trans. I wish I was a girl, I just know I cannot achieve that body with the technology we have today. I also can’t afford that,” Robin added.
“I wish I was a girl, I just know I cannot achieve that body with the technology we have today,” Robin wrote
Image credits: marygracewestman
Robin graduated from the Annunciation school in 2017.
“I knew that something was off,” recalled Josefina Sanchez, who was a former classmate and friend of Robin.
“When you see something erratic, it doesn’t leave your mind… so he would put up his hand and praise Hitl**,” Josefina told 5 INVESTIGATES.
She also said her friendship with Robin, then Robert, was short-lived because of the unusual behavior.
“It was just kinda triggering,” she said about Robin writing messages in code at the time. “I wish I could have said something sooner, but I was little, how was I supposed to know?”
Image credits: marygracewestman
Investigators still haven’t been able to determine whether the suspect was living with his parents prior to the shooting. They found three addresses linked to Robin so far.
“I can’t verify right now which residence he was staying at immediately prior to the shooting, but that’s obviously something that will come with the investigation as it continues,” Police Chief Brian said.
Brian also acknowledged that there was an undeniable connection between Robin and the parish.
“The shooter’s mother was an employee of the parish previously for some time,” he said. “So, obviously there is a connection between the shooter and this particular parish.”
Robin wrote messages dedicated to family members in a four-page handwritten manifesto
Image credits: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Prior to the shooting, Robin’s YouTube channel released videos of a four-page manifesto as well as cartridge magazines that had twisted messages scrawled on them.
“To my Mother and Father, I am sorry I didn’t turn out as you had hoped. You did not fail me, you gave me so much,” Robin wrote in the manifesto.
“Please do not think you have failed as parents. I was corrupted by this world and have learned to hate what life is,” the message continued.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us,” father Jesse said about losing his son to the shooting
Image credits: ABC News/Merkel Family
While Mary has chosen silence in light of the massacre, the parents of Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski spoke about the unbearable grief of losing their beloved children.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us,” father Jesse said outside his slain son’s school.
“Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming,” Jesse continued.
Parents of slain victim Harper Moyski, 10, said their “hearts are broken”
Image credits: ABC News/Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin
Harper was described by her family as a “bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her.”
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss,” her parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, told ABC Minneapolis station KSTP in a joint statement.
“As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain,” they added.
“She’s lawyering up first,” read a harsh comment about Robin’s mother
Image credits: FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
Netizens speculated over Robin’s relationship with his family prior to the shooting. Many used harsh words in their comments about the mother.
“The fact she has gone into hiding is a red flag,” one commented online, while another wrote, “She raised a real winner, MOTHER OF THE YEAR.”
“She needs to be held for questions,” said another.
“It is probably on advice of a very sharp attorney. She says one wrong word, and she will be charged,” said another.
Others defended her, saying: “Maybe she’s mourning her son.”
“Wasn’t he an adult? Why would they need to speak to the parents?” one asked online
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