Investigation Launched into Possible Links Between Transgender Shooter’s Medications and Violence
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced on Thursday that an inquiry has been initiated to determine whether medications used by transgender shooter Robin Westman during his transition might have contributed to his recent violent act.
In an interview with “Fox & Friends,” Kennedy affirmed, “We are conducting studies on this matter,” addressing whether the drugs associated with Westman’s transition could have influenced his behavior during the shooting at his former Catholic school’s first Mass of the year on Wednesday.
He stated, “We are examining the potential impact of these substances,” in response to questions regarding a broader pattern that includes another recent school shooter, Audrey Hale, who also identified as transgender.
Westman, 23, perpetrated an attack that resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 others at the Catholic school, known as Annunciation.
The Health and Human Services secretary did not specify the medications taken by Westman or Hale. However, he voiced significant concerns regarding the role of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly prescribed for depression.
“Certain SSRIs and other psychiatric medications could be linked to violent behavior,” he cautioned.
Kennedy emphasized the presence of "black-box warnings" on many of these drugs, indicating potential risks such as suicidal or homicidal thoughts. He underscored the necessity of studying these issues further, despite noting that stringent patient confidentiality regulations had previously hindered such investigations. He pointed out that his department possesses the authority to navigate around these rules for research purposes.
“In the past, random acts of violence did not occur within places of worship or education,” he remarked, saying, “This phenomenon seems unique to our country. It’s imperative that we consider all factors that may be contributing to this issue.”
The FBI has classified the mass shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime against the Catholic community, according to Director Kash Patel.
Westman, previously known as Robert, legally changed his name in 2020 and had reportedly experienced suicidal thoughts for several years, expressing a desire to undo his transition.
His actions bear striking resemblances to the 2023 mass shooting carried out by Hale in Nashville, Tennessee. Both shooters were transgender and had ties to their assault locations, having previously attended the schools they targeted. Hale left behind a manifesto and detailed plans for her attack.
Westman also attended the Annunciation school, where his mother worked from 2016 until her retirement in 2021. Like Hale, he did not have a criminal history.
During the attack, Westman barricaded the entrances during the opening school Mass and fired multiple shots through stained glass windows.
The two fatalities, ages 8 and 10, were victims who were praying when the assault occurred.
Westman, adorned in black and camouflage, subsequently took his own life outside the church, as reported by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. Among the 17 individuals injured, 14 are children, and while two remain in critical condition, all are expected to survive.
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