Claim About Minneapolis School Shooter’s Identity and Background
In the aftermath of the tragic mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on August 27, 2025, misinformation has quickly spread across social media. One viral claim alleges that the shooter was “a Jewish American named Rob Westman” and calls for investigations into every synagogue in the United States. This claim has been widely shared on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and fringe forums, but a closer review of verified information reveals it to be partially accurate yet highly misleading.
Shooter’s Identity and Gender
Law enforcement identified the perpetrator as Robin Westman, a 23-year-old transgender woman who had legally changed her name from Robert to Robin in 2020. Born male, Westman had publicly transitioned and identified as female for several years prior to the attack.
The phrasing of the viral claim referring to the suspect as “the transgender” and using the male name “Rob” is not only demeaning but also misleading. While it is true that “Rob” bears similarity to Westman’s deadname, Robin Westman’s legal and lived identity was that of a transgender woman. The shooter’s identity has been confirmed by multiple mainstream outlets and law enforcement records.
Claims of Jewish Identity and Antisemitic Writings
The most inflammatory element of the viral posts is the assertion that Westman was Jewish. There is no credible evidence to support this claim. Neither law enforcement statements nor verified reporting from major news organizations suggest any Jewish background or affiliation.
In fact, the available evidence points in the opposite direction. Authorities discovered that the weapons and ammunition magazines used in the shooting were inscribed with antisemitic slogans, including “Jew gas” and “6 million wasn’t enough,” a direct reference to Holocaust denial and extremist rhetoric (CNN, 2025). Further, the shooter’s online manifesto and video postings praised notorious antisemitic terrorists such as Brenton Tarrant, who carried out the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand, and Robert Bowers, responsible for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting.
The FBI has stated that it is investigating the Minneapolis attack as a hate crime targeting Catholics, not Jews. Westman’s writings displayed hostility toward organized religion broadly, but specifically fixated on Catholic institutions (BBC News, 2025).
Thus, the viral claim that the shooter was Jewish is not only unsupported it directly contradicts the evidence that Westman held strongly antisemitic views.
Calls for Synagogue Investigations
The claim further demands that “every synagogue be investigated” in response to the shooting. This demand rests entirely on the false premise that the shooter was Jewish. In reality, Westman acted alone and had no verifiable connection to Jewish communities or institutions.
Law enforcement efforts are instead directed at examining the shooter’s personal background, motives, and access to firearms. Officials have confirmed that Westman legally purchased three weapons a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol despite having no prior criminal history. Authorities are also investigating Westman’s mental health history and extremist online activity, which included both antisemitic and anti-Catholic elements (Al Jazeera, 2025).
Calls to investigate synagogues are not only unfounded, but also potentially dangerous, as they risk fueling antisemitic conspiracy theories and collective blame against an innocent community.
Additional Context
The tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to several others before the shooter died by suicide. Investigators have noted a possible personal connection: Westman’s mother previously worked at the school until 2021.
The shooter left behind a manifesto and several pre-recorded videos expressing fascination with mass shootings, suicidal ideation, and hatred toward organized religion. Authorities believe these factors, coupled with extremist ideological influences, played a role in motivating the attack.
In the aftermath, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged the public to avoid scapegoating marginalized groups, emphasizing that the focus should remain on the victims and their families rather than on spreading divisive falsehoods.
Conclusion
The viral claim that the Minneapolis school shooter was a Jewish American named “Rob Westman” is mostly false. While the shooter’s birth name was Robert Westman, and some misinformation exploits that fact to use “Rob” in place of Robin, there is no evidence that the shooter was Jewish. On the contrary, the shooter’s antisemitic writings and extremist influences prove otherwise.
The demand for synagogue investigations is wholly baseless and inflammatory, rooted in a deliberate distortion of the facts. The attack is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime and domestic terrorism, not as an act connected to Jewish communities.
As with many mass shootings, disinformation spread quickly in the immediate aftermath, weaponizing identity and religion to further political and ideological agendas. To avoid amplifying falsehoods, it is essential to rely on official law enforcement updates and reputable journalism rather than viral speculation
References
CNN. (2025, August 27). Live updates: Shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. CNN. https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/annunciation-catholic-school-minneapolis-shooting-08-27-25
BBC News. (2025, August 28). Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis: What we know so far. BBC. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy40znde9eko
Al Jazeera. (2025, August 27). Shooting reported at church in Minneapolis, suspect contained, city says. Al Jazeera. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/27/shooting-reported-at-church-in-minneapolis-suspect-contained-city-says
