Robin Westman, the gunman behind Wednesday’s deadly school shooting in Minneapolis, had long displayed disturbing behavior and open admiration for Adolf Hitler, according to a former classmate.

Josefina Sanchez, who briefly befriended Westman in seventh grade at a St. Paul school, said she vividly remembers him making antisemitic remarks and raising his hand in a Nazi salute while saying “Praise Hitler.” Speaking to local outlet KTSP, Sanchez described her former friend as “erratic” and “off,” adding that she still feels haunted by what she witnessed.

“He would put up his hand and say, like, ‘praise Hitler,’” Sanchez recalled through tears. “Something I knew was off, but I was a kid. How would I know, like, what to do in the seventh grade?”

Police later confirmed that Westman left behind a manifesto filled with antisemitic and racist statements. In his writings and YouTube posts, Westman fantasized about carrying out racially motivated violence, specifically targeting Jewish people.

One passage read: “If I carry out a racially motivated attack, it would be most likely against filthy Zionist Jews.” Other entries referred to Jews as “entitled” and “penny-sniffing,” and included the slogan “Free Palestine.” Investigators also noted his admiration for mass shootings, violent rhetoric against President Donald Trump, and writings in code interspersed with Cyrillic characters.

Sanchez said she now realizes the full weight of Westman’s behavior: “It’s demonic, I’m sorry, it is. I wish I could have said something sooner, but I was little. How was I supposed to know?”

On Wednesday morning, Westman stormed the Annunciation Catholic Church and School, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and handgun. According to Minneapolis police, he opened fire inside the school, killing two children and wounding 17 others.

The rampage ended when Westman turned the gun on himself, dying at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities confirmed he had no prior criminal record and was not previously known to law enforcement.

Investigators revealed that Westman had a personal connection to the school: he attended as a child, and his mother worked there as a secretary for five years before retiring in 2021.

Police are now reviewing Westman’s online activity and writings to piece together his specific motives.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)