Authorities have identified the gunman responsible for today’s mass shooting as Robin Westman, 23, and are uncovering chilling details that paint a disturbing portrait of his mindset. Investigators say Westman’s weapons were scrawled with messages in silver ink, filled with violent threats, neo-Nazi references, and tributes to past killers.
According to law enforcement sources, several of Westman’s firearms were marked with words and names that revealed his dark obsessions. On the barrel of one weapon, the phrase “Kiss me” was written. Other guns bore the names of infamous shooters, including Robert Bowers, who murdered 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018, and Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, who opened fire at Abundant Life Christian School in Wisconsin in 2024.
Even more alarming were the political and extremist messages. One firearm included a threat referencing former President Donald Trump, while another invoked Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right extremist who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011. Investigators also found anti-Semitic messages, including a chilling Holocaust denial phrase: “6 million wasn’t enough.”
Experts say the writings reflect a disturbing blend of radical extremism, idolization of mass murderers, and hate-driven ideology. Analysts warn that such glorification of killers often inspires copycat violence, something authorities fear may have motivated Westman.
“This was a very sick individual who clearly needed help long before this attack,” one investigator told reporters, speaking on background due to the ongoing investigation. “What we’re seeing is someone who immersed himself in violent ideology and tried to carve his own place in that dark history.”
Police are now combing through Westman’s online activity, journals, and digital footprint to determine whether he had contact with extremist groups or left behind additional threats. Early findings suggest he may have spent time in online spaces that glorify mass killers and promote neo-Nazi propaganda.
Community leaders and civil rights organizations have expressed deep concern, calling for renewed efforts to address online radicalization and prevent the spread of hate. They note that Westman’s writings echo themes increasingly found in extremist forums, where violent manifestos and tributes to killers circulate unchecked.
As the victims’ families grieve and the community reels from the tragedy, questions loom about how a 23-year-old could have spiraled into such a dark mindset without intervention. The investigation remains ongoing, but authorities stress the importance of confronting hate at its roots before it erupts into violence.