The gunman who killed two children at a Minneapolis Catholic school kept a diary in broken Russian and listed three Russian music artists among his favorites, according to analysis of videos he posted hours before the attack.

Robin Westman wrote much of his manifesto using Cyrillic script to spell out English words like “Christmas concert” and “parking spot,” “I’m faggot.”

But he also scrawled desperate Russian phrases throughout his notebook: “kill yourself,” “who am I?,” “when will this end?,” “help me!,” “I don’t want to.”

On one page, he drew himself with a rifle on his shoulder standing before a mirror—with something horned and demonic staring back from the reflection.

The 23-year-old also listed Russian rappers GONE.Fludd and Mosquit, plus electronic duo IC3PEAK, among his preferred musicians, according to Russian Telegram channel Astra.

The Russian connections emerged from disturbing videos Westman uploaded to YouTube just hours before opening fire at Annunciation Catholic School on 27 August.

In one 20-minute clip titled “So long and thanks for all the fish,” he slowly flipped through pages of his handwritten manifesto while smoke drifted from the bottom of the screen, punctuated by coughs, cursing and what witnesses described as maniacal giggles.

The attack

Westman fired dozens of shots through stained glass windows during a back-to-school Mass around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, killing two children ages 8 and 10. Seventeen others were wounded, including 14 children, before the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The gunman came armed with three weapons—a rifle, shotgun and handgun. Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed Westman fired from all three during the assault on worshippers attending the celebratory service.

His weapon magazines bore disturbing messages: “for the children,” “kill Donald Trump,” and “6 Million wasn’t enough”—a reference to Holocaust death statistics. Some weapons also carried phrases written in Russian, such as “I am terrorist,” “Hatred,” “Kill yourself,” and “Vodka and REB [electronic warfare].”

Former student’s calculated plan

Westman wasn’t a random shooter. He graduated from Annunciation in 2017 and his mother, Mary Grace Westman, worked as the school’s secretary until retiring in 2021.

His manifesto revealed calculated planning and disturbed thinking.

 “I have had thoughts about mass murder for a long time. I am very conflicted with writing this journal,” he wrote, according to translations by The New York Post.

He fantasized about “being that scary horrible monster standing over those powerless kids” while detailing his targeting strategy:

“I am feeling good about annunciation. It seems like a good combo of easy attack form and devastating tragedy.”

The shooter had concerns about “finding a large enough group” and wanted to “avoid any parents, but pre and post school drop off.”

The shooter specifically targeted the church during an event with children present.

“I think attacking a large group of kids coming in from recess is my best plan,” another entry stated. “Then from there I can go inside and kill, going for as long as I can.”

The journal contained a trans pride flag sticker with “Defend equality” printed across the bottom, overlaid with a black AK-47 sticker. Court documents show Westman legally changed names from Robert to Robin in January 2020, with the petition stating he “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”

Contradictory and incoherent beliefs

The manifesto expressed reverence for previous school shooters, particularly Adam Lanza. “Sandy Hook was my favorite, I think, exposure of school shootings,” Westman wrote, referring to the 2012 massacre that killed 20 first-graders and six adults.

His writings revealed contradictory ideological positions alongside antisemitic hatred.

“If I carry out a racially motivated attack, it would be most likely against filthy Zionist jews,” he wrote, before adding “FREE PALESTINE!”

On another page: “I hate fascism,” followed by “I also love when kids get shot, I love to see kids get torn apart.”

The shooter wasn’t known to law enforcement before the attack. The FBI continues investigating the online videos as they work to determine his full motives, according to Chief O’Hara.

Near the video’s end, Westman displayed what appeared to be a church layout drawing, said “Haha, nice,” then stabbed it with a knife before quietly mumbling “kill myself.”