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By Martha McHardy
US News Reporter
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The mother of Robin Westman, the 23-year-old suspect in a mass shooting at the Annunciation Catholic Church School on Wednesday that killed two children, worked at the school.
Mary Grace Westman worked as a secretary at the Minneapolis school for five years before retiring in 2021, according to a Facebook post and a church blog.
"She has provided such wonderful hospitality, friendship and compassion to all who gathered for the last five years at Annunciation. You will be missed! Congratulations on your retirement!" the church wrote at the time in a post that no longer appears to be available, according to the New York Post.
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It is not clear if Robin Westman ever attended church, visited the grounds or was enrolled in school at Annunciation.
The Context
The suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene on Wednesday after allegedly opening fire during mass at the Annunciation Catholic School. Two children aged 8 and 10 were killed, and 17 people were injured.
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What To Know
Mary Grace's brother, Robert L. Heleringer, a former Republican representative in the Kentucky General Assembly, described their family's strictly Catholic upbringing in multiple op-eds published in the 2010s.
In the Louisville Courier-Journal, he recalled their mother hosting dinners with priests and leading family prayers, saying their lives were "enriched by their company."
Heleringer, who served at his childhood parish in Kentucky, later attended Xavier University, a Jesuit institution, where he admitted struggling with his faith after his mother "cut [him] loose." He credited her guidance for helping him return to religion, writing: "I was cast adrift, spiritually speaking, to find my own way…the truth and the light."
Elected to the state legislature in 1980, Heleringer remained in office until redistricting ended his tenure in 2002.
In 2023, Heleringer condemned Republican attacks on LGBTQ+ rights, calling them "nobody's public business." He argued: "One cannot simultaneously defend innocent life and demean the lives of our equally innocent gay sisters and brothers as nothing more than printed names on a birth certificate."
Court records show that Westman, who lived in Richfield, Minnesota, applied to change their name from Robert to Robin in 2020, aged 17. The petition for Westman's name change was signed by their mother. The documents state that Westman "identifies as female and wants her name to reflect that identification."
According to The Associated Press, Heleringer "barely knew" his sister's child because their families lived in different states. He told the AP he last saw Robin at a family wedding several years ago but had not had contact with them since then.
He said he wished Westman "had shot me instead of innocent schoolchildren."
FBI director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the mass shooting "as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics."
What People Are Saying
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey wrote in a post to X: "There are no words that can capture the horror and tragedy of the unspeakable act of evil at Annunciation Catholic Church. Children have been killed, more are injured, our community is shaken. Right now, our entire city needs to wrap these families in love and support."
President Donald Trump wrote in a post to Truth Social: "I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!"
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz wrote on X: "I've been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information. The BCA and State Patrol are on scene. I'm praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."
What Happens Next
The mass shooting remains under investigation as police continue looking into the suspect's potential motivations.
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