Robert Westman's manifesto shows a life marked by untreated mental illness, yet the system insisted on affirmation instead of rational care.
On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at approximately 8:30 am local time, Robert (Robin) Westman, dressed in black, approached Annunciation Catholic Church—part of Annunciation Catholic School in south Minneapolis, Minnesota—on foot after parking nearby and began firing through the stained-glass windows into the pews where children were seated for Mass.
The attack occurred during a morning Mass attended by students and staff to mark the start of the school year, specifically on the third day of classes. The shooter fired through the church windows from outside, targeting worshippers inside. Two children, ages 8 and 10, lost their lives; 17 others were injured (including 14 children); and Westman later died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Westman was a 23-year-old transgender individual who legally changed his name to Robin at 17 after stating he no longer identified as a boy. His parents signed off on the name change because he was a minor.
Westman left behind a manifesto and a letter to his family before carrying out the attack.
We are examining the ramifications of so-called Gender Affirming Care (GAC). The carelessness and laziness of therapists who only affirm will bring an onslaught of events like this.
I'm sure Westman's parents meant well and were guided not only by mental health professionals but also by the culture in which they lived—a culture that continuously affirmed and celebrated so-called "trans youth" (there's no such category, by the way)—when they affirmed their child's gender dysphoria.
Sadly, my profession is guided—and trained—to treat gender dysphoria in children as a primary diagnosis, rather than a symptom that often stems from conditions such as Autism, OCD, anxiety, and/or depression. If my profession spent more time affirming reality and addressing delusional thinking, people could actually receive real help. Otherwise, these events will only increase because the focus remains on gun laws instead of holding mental health professionals accountable for their laziness and improper treatment practices.
Westman openly described severe mental health struggles in his manifesto and videos, including long-term depression, suicidal thoughts spanning years, a recent loss of all hope, and being "haunted by thoughts that do not go away." He referred to himself as having a "twisted mind" and admitted to an obsession with harming children, which he compared to his cross-dressing habits, acknowledging it was wrong but claiming he could not stop. Additionally, he believed he was dying from self-caused lung cancer due to vaping and other destructive behaviors, expressing a desire not to recover or undergo hospital treatment.
None of these points to a need for GAC. His identity change was a symptom—and an outward cry for help—of a larger, obvious issue. Mental health professionals believe that if you affirm, all the pain and suffering will disappear.
Obviously, that's not the case.
The "dead son or a live daughter" manipulative jargon used to coerce parents into this trans-cult has proven itself a lie. We must reform the mental health field, or we will continue to perpetuate a false—and at times deadly—narrative built on emotional responses instead of rational care.
Soad Tabrizi is a licensed marriage and family therapist in eight states with a private practice based in Orange County, CA, www.soadtabrizi.com. Soad is also the founder of www.ConservativeCounselors.com.
