first, to establish a timeline: at 13:27 UTC, Jeff Day of the Star Tribune hears shooting and calls 911, per a Tribune report. Westman's identity is first divulged to the media, as far as I can tell, around 16:30 UTC.
Replies
three videos were posted to a YouTube channel with the username "robinw1312" and display name "Robin W" 2 hours prior to that first divulgence. an archive of the channel on the 18th (web.archive.org/web/20250718...) shows that the name and username were not changed.
aug 27, 2025, 7:59 pm • 73 1 • view
Sorry, so the videos were uploaded a few hours before the shooting began? Or minutes? I just wonder what on earth America spends all this money on defence or policing if they can’t actively be monitoring the internet for active threats. Lots of shooters have had manifestos online for the public.
aug 27, 2025, 11:42 pm • 2 0 • view
Because it's not a pre-emptive system. First they vacuum up all the data, and when you end up on their radar for something, THEN they can begin establishing connections, gathering evidence, etc. Snowden explained the selector process when he released the documents on it.
aug 28, 2025, 12:35 am • 0 0 • view
because of this timeline, I (and an increasing amount of non-tabloid media sources) consider the video to very likely be legitimate. the three videos are entitled "Robin Westman ehehe," "Robin Westman," and "08.27.2025 RMW." they appear to be intended to come up from a YouTube search.
aug 27, 2025, 7:59 pm • 77 1 • view
Life is short, eternity is forever. AfterDeathTruth.net Be Ready!
aug 28, 2025, 11:51 am • 0 0 • view
the videos' names and relative times are archived on the Wayback Machine: web.archive.org/web/20250718... web.archive.org/web/20250827... now: what do they show?
aug 27, 2025, 7:59 pm • 55 2 • view
the longest video, the 20-minute "Robin Westman," shows two journals, both with entries written in Cyrillic script approximating English. (as I transcribe, I'll be verifying this.) the first journal spans the dates May 23 to July 19, and the second spans the dates July 19 to August 21, 2025.
aug 27, 2025, 7:59 pm • 68 1 • view
I feel like I’m dense or missing something here, but could you explain the “Cyrillic script” part? I saw the screenshots you posted in this thread, and I can’t see any difference from the traditional English that I’m used to.
aug 27, 2025, 10:36 pm • 0 0 • view
Did you see this one? It's a mishmash of Latin and Cyrillic letters, used to more or less represent the sounds of the English words. bsky.app/profile/ryan...
aug 27, 2025, 11:58 pm • 1 0 • view
Ah, there it is! My bad, I thought the (already-posted) manifesto was supposed to be the Cyrillic part, and didn’t realize OP hadn’t gotten to the actual Cyrillic yet when I posted that comment.
aug 27, 2025, 11:59 pm • 1 0 • view
Life is short, eternity is forever. AfterDeathTruth.net Be Ready!
aug 28, 2025, 11:53 am • 0 0 • view
the shortest video, the 2-minute "08.27.2025 RMW," shows the second journal again, but the entries continue until today, August 27. the third 11-minute video "Robin Westman ehehe" shows a Latin-script manifesto, plus an assortment of munitions.
aug 27, 2025, 7:59 pm • 62 1 • view
the third video is of most immediate interest. the manifesto is shown on pages that appear to be torn out of the second journal. I'm transcribing it page-by-page in alt text. please be aware that its contents are sensitive.
![To My Family and Friends: I don't expect forgiveness and I don't expect any apology I have to hold much weight, but to my family and those close to me, I do apologize for the effects my actions will have on your lives. Please know I care for all of you so much and it pains me to bring this storm of chaos into your lives. This will affect so many more people than the ones that are immediately involved. 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. I truly appreciate the love you have given me, I feel I was raised to be a good person. I've kept those traits of empathy, self-sacrifice, and good character. Please do not think you have failed as parents. I was corrupted by this world and have learned to hate what life is. Life is love, life is pain. There is too much to accept, too many things to put up with just to live. I'm tired of the pain this world gives out. Please move on and continue to give your love to my brothers and sisters, and the rest of the world. They may not forgive you but you need to move on from me. Forget my life and the pain I've brought. I love you both. Thank you for everything. I'm sorry. To my Siblings, I am sorry for forever tainting the rest of your lives. Your careers, lives, and relationships, all will be turned upside-down. Please hold on to who you are, not who I am. Change your names if you must. I wish I could tell you that before I go. Please know that [...]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lb5rzms2ky5fmp6clthjwuvx/bafkreibyx2ldaqrr2i6kmby2gwhlrrqxzncffppnjit2cf5sxqxgi66s7a@jpeg)
aug 27, 2025, 8:11 pm • 63 5 • view
page two, which explains that Westman was "severely depressed" and had "been suicidal for years" but "[o]nly recently [...] lost all hope." the shooting is what they consider "their final action."
![[...] I love you all and truly appreciate the time I have spent with you. I have such an amazing family and it hurts me to throw this wrench into the works of you good people. I feel hope when with you, I cherish our time together. I appreciate all that you have taught me and I felt inspired to be like you when I grew up. I hope you are able to move on and continue your lives without being forever followed, forever haunted by my actions. Forget me and all that I am. Hold onto yourselves and your loved ones. I love you all. And to my friends, I trust you all to give your memory of me however you see fit. I am sorry for the confusion and heartbreak this will bring. I truly appreciate all of you for showing me a good life and helping me through dark times. I have had so many good times that gave me hope, unfortunately this world has too much pain to deal out that I can't cover up with the good sides of life. I hope you all can move on and forget the pain I've caused. I have wanted this for so long. I am not well. I am not right. I am a sad person, haunted by these thoughts that do not go away. I know this is wrong but I can't seem to stop myself. I am severely depressed and have been suicidal for years. Only recently have I lost all hope and decided to perform my final action against this world. I don't want to kneel down for the injustices of this world. I want to die. I'd rather die on my feet than live on my knees, constantly in pain.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lb5rzms2ky5fmp6clthjwuvx/bafkreidfjfin2qr4m6yvefkmfsmfyrfndrlkcm2whmpaa6dtok32fciqbm@jpeg)
aug 27, 2025, 8:18 pm • 46 1 • view
I just don't get why this needs to lead to shooting innocent children PRAYING in a church. You're suicidal. You want to die. I understand that. But WHY take others with you, who also have parents they love, just like you did yours?
aug 27, 2025, 9:47 pm • 3 0 • view
This seems to be a very common thing with mass shooters. They’re suicidal and hate the world and want others to suffer too. But also a very common thing for men in general. “Ah I hate my perfect wife and kids. Must take them out before I end my own life or run off”. patriarchy? Toxic masculinity?
aug 27, 2025, 11:48 pm • 5 1 • view
It's a pretty widespread sentiment online that suicide is a waste unless you go for a mass shooting high score in the process
aug 28, 2025, 12:50 am • 0 0 • view
page three, which gives a further motive: Westman believed they were dying of "lung cancer" due to "vaping and other means." their understanding of cancer and its symptoms appears shallow and paranoid.
aug 27, 2025, 8:28 pm • 54 0 • view
This stupid bint got that "information" from an LLM, didn't she. I wouldn't be at all surprised to learn this is the first ChatGPT-mediated massacre...
aug 27, 2025, 11:11 pm • 0 0 • view
page four, the final page of the Latin-script manifesto. it includes a warning: "I wouldn't recommend any of you to read my journals, unless you REALLY want to, but be warned." it's unclear whether the warning is addressed toward their loved ones or the general public.
![I love you all, I will remember you. Pray for the victims and their families. I Love You [heart] Dad, Mom, Jack, Martha, Theresa, Joe, Jared, Phil, Liam — Robin M Westman 2002-2025 [signature:](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:lb5rzms2ky5fmp6clthjwuvx/bafkreibolepr2n73qbken3rnepj2gxkijzw27jxlr2cmyg32slb6bxvgk4@jpeg)
aug 27, 2025, 8:33 pm • 47 0 • view
besides the manifesto: the video begins with a sketch of Walter White from Breaking Bad. a cube and number 5 are etched onto his hat. Westman groans and laughs as they show the sketch. the original sketch (which I've attached a variation of in the second image) does not include the cube.
aug 27, 2025, 8:42 pm • 39 0 • view
📌
aug 27, 2025, 8:53 pm • 0 0 • view
Granted, I wasn't writing manifestos or things revealing of my personal attitudes or anything hateful. When I wrote things I didn't want easily scrutinised under close observation, at least I made the effort of writing German transliterated into Cyrillic *cursive* instead of being quite so obvious.
aug 29, 2025, 8:58 pm • 0 0 • view