In the aftermath of the deadly mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, police have revealed what may have prevented an “unthinkable” tragedy from being worse. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has said that locked doors during Mass may have helped the attack at Annunciation Catholic Church from becoming a bigger tragedy.
“A number of the doors had been locked once Mass began, which is part of their normal procedure,” O’Hara told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. “We believe that this step also played a part in ensuring this tragedy did not become that much worse.”
Shooter Robin Westman killed two children, aged 8 and 10, and injured several others after opening through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday morning, August 27. Children said they got down and took cover while helping each other as they had practiced the same during training drills, O’Hara revealed. The Annunciation Catholic School handbook stated that it conducts three lockdown drills during the school year.
‘Unthinkable act of violence’
O’Hara said that law enforcement responded to a difficult scene. The first officer ran in “not wearing a helmet, not with any rifle or SWAT gear,’ the police chief said, adding that they quickly headed in the shooter’s direction.
“First responders that came here this morning just walked into this unthinkable, unthinkable act of violence,” the police chief said. “This is one of those scenes that’s just deeply, deeply traumatizing.”
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Notes found in Westman’s notebooks and on the firearms were written in a blend of Cyrillic alphabet, English and other languages, ABC News reported. The writings indicate Westman’s grievances and anger, and have references to other high-profile school shootings and shooters.
Part of what Westman wrote in his manifesto described what he wanted to wear for “my shooting.” “I don’t want to dress girly all the time but I guess sometimes I really like it. I know I am not a woman but I definitely don’t feel like a man … I really like my outfit,” the 23-year-old wrote in his manifesto in Cyrillic, which was translated by the New York Post.
“I look pretty, smart and modest. I think I want to wear something like this for my shooting,” he added. “I hate my face. I hate when I can see it. I don’t want to be seen.”