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Wednesday, August 27, 2025

Minnesota School Mass Shooter Identified As Robin Westman

 Update (1348ET): An absolutely tragic mass shooting unfolded at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, leaving an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old dead in the pews and injuring 17 others.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters that the shooter took his own life in the rear of Annunciation Catholic Church.

"Children are dead; there are families that have a deceased child; you cannot put into words the gravity, tragedy or absolute pain of the situation," Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis said at the news conference. 

The New York Post is reporting that the shooter has been identified as "Robin Westman."

According to NYPost, Westman maintained a YouTube account that featured a video displaying multiple weapons.

One screenshot from the video showed a semi-automatic rifle and a shotgun, with text on one magazine reading "kill Donald Trump."

Benny Johnson confirmed: "Minneapolis Catholic church shooter Robin Westman was a transgender who "identified as a woman" and legally changed his name from "Robert" in 2020."

Wiped. 

Some big-name X accounts posted what they believe are screenshots from Westman's video. 

*   *   * 

 

Authorities responded to a horrific school shooting at Annunciation Church and School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.

Early reports indicate that at least two people were killed and several others wounded. 

Local media reports...

The city of Minneapolis posted on X that the "shooter is contained" and "no active threat to the community at this time." 

The city asked people to stay away from the area "to allow emergency personnel to help victims."

ATF agents from the St. Paul's field office were arriving on scene. 

President Trump wrote on 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!" 

 

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and law enforcement will hold a press conference at 11:30 a.m. ET. 

NBC reports that before today's school shooting, there were three deadly shootings in Minneapolis in 12 hours.

"The level of gun violence across the city within the last day is deeply unsettling," the Minneapolis Police Department stated earlier, adding, "Across three separate multiple-victim shootings, eight people have been injured by gunfire and three have lost their lives."

The attack at Annunciation Church would be the fourth deadly shooting in less than one day.

*This story is developing...

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/mass-shooting-minneapolis-catholic-school-2-dead-many-injured-suspect-contained

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Cotton Targets Tax Status Of 'Terrorist-Supporting' Youth Movement

 Renewed high-level scrutiny on far-left nonprofits emerged overnight with a New York Times report on Tuesday evening, which revealed that the Gates Foundation had abruptly severed ties with a "dark money" network operated by Arabella Advisors. Then by morning, President Trump fired off a post on Truth Social calling for possible RICO charges against George Soros and his radical leftist son for their "support of violent protests." We must note that Bill Gates met with Trump at the White House earlier on Tuesday, according to an NBC report. 

The move by the Gates Foundation, along with Trump's comments, suggests that an impending crackdown on rogue progressive philanthropic networks could arrive as early as this fall. 

Additional evidence of this scrutiny surfaced actually last week, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) sounded the alarm on X. Cotton singled out the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), a leftist activist group closely aligned with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), accusing it of working across university campuses to incite anti-Israel protests and campus chaos.

"The Palestinian Youth Movement's support of Hamas and ties to terror groups should prevent it from receiving tax-exempt donations. I'm asking the IRS to investigate and remedy this situation," Cotton wrote on X last Friday. 

Cotton sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, requesting that the IRS investigate PYM and its funding sources for potential violations of U.S. tax law.

Cotton emphasized that while PYM is known for antisemitic activities and support for terrorist groups like Hamas, the core issue is its ability to receive tax-exempt donations...

"An organization that supports terrorism, breaks U.S. law, and sows antisemitic discord should not receive any benefits from the American tax system. I ask you to immediately investigate both PYM and Honor the Earth and to take any actions necessary to remedy this situation," Cotton wrote in the letter. 

Commentary on PYM via Jason Curtis Anderson, cofounder of the good government group One City Rising, reveals: 

"One of the basic qualifications for tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity status is that an organization must actually work for the public good. The Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) is an international terror-supporting network that doesn't even pretend to contribute anything positive to society. Last year's People's Conference for Palestine in Detroit—the largest pro-terror conference in U.S. history—was sponsored, convened, and managed by PYM, which also served as the primary recipient of donations. Its speaker lineup included current PFLP member Wisam Rafeedie, Sana' Daqqa—the wife of convicted PFLP terrorist Walid Daqqa—and even a promotional endorsement from PFLP founding member Salah Salah. With another conference looming in 2025, it is unacceptable that groups openly glorifying terrorism enjoy the same tax-exempt privileges as organizations that truly serve the public good, like feeding the homeless. The 501(c)(3) world has become the Wild West of government subversion, permanent protests, and foreign influence, and I applaud Senator Tom Cotton's much-needed efforts to put a stop to this rampant abuse." 

Takeaway is clear: The days of dynastic billionaire families, foreign money, taxpayer dollars, and leftist nonprofits feeding the Democratic Party machine are about to come under the crosshairs and face heavy scrutiny this fall. Americans are sick and tired of rogue leftist NGOs unleashing color-revolution-style operations across major cities, if that's rioting, burning private property, and attacking government facilities. We also suspect the Marxists around Neville Roy Singham have been put on notice.

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/tom-cotton-puts-rogue-leftist-philanthropic-networks-notice-letter-bessent

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Brazil central bank says it does not compete with market through Pix instant payments

 Brazil's central bank is not competing with financial or payment institutions by operating and regulating the widely used instant payments system Pix, said the bank's financial system organization director, Renato Gomes.

In remarks released by the bank on Wednesday, Gomes said the institution "plays the role of a neutral agent, providing a public digital infrastructure that allows the market to develop more efficiently, inclusively and competitively."

Pix is among the Brazilian trade practices under formal investigation by U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in a case opened by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), which views the system as potentially unfair.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/brazil-central-bank-says-does-173618107.html

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FDA approves updated Pfizer COVID shots but limits access for some kids and adults

 U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 shots Wednesday but limited their use for many Americans — and removed one of the two vaccines available for young children.

The new shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax are approved for all seniors. But the Food and Drug Administration narrowed their use for younger adults and children to those with at least one high-risk health condition, such as asthma or obesity. That presents new barriers to access for millions of Americans who’d have to prove their risk -- and millions more who may want to get vaccinated and suddenly no longer qualify.

Additionally, Pfizer’s vaccine will no longer be available for any child underage 5, after the FDA said it was revoking the shot’s emergency authorization for that age group.

Parents will still be able to seek out shots from rival drugmaker Moderna, the other maker of mRNA vaccines, which has full FDA approval for children as young as 6 months. But the company’s Spikevax vaccine is only approved for children with at least one serious health problem.

The revamped vaccines target a newer version of the continuously evolving virus and are set to begin shipping immediately. But it could be days or weeks before many Americans know if they’ll be able to get one, with access dependent on various decisions by federal health advisers, private health insurers, pharmacies and state authorities.

The new restrictions — previewed by FDA officials in May — are a break from the previous U.S. policy, which recommended an annual COVID-19 shot for all Americans 6 months and up.

The approach reflects heightened skepticism about the ongoing risks of COVID-19 and the need for yearly booster shots from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, who were both outspoken critics of wide-scale vaccinations.

“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” Kennedy wrote on social media.

Kenned said Novavax's shot is only open to people 12 or older, not younger children – and under the same risk-based restrictions as are now in place for the Moderna and Pfizer options. It's the nation's only protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.

Some medical groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, have objected to the new limits, saying they may block vaccine access for families who want to protect their children. Last week, the group offered its own recommendations for kids, saying annual COVID shots are strongly recommended for children ages 6 months to 2 years and advised for older children.

That differs from the latest guidance under Kennedy, which doesn’t recommend the shots for healthy children of any age, but says kids may get the shots in consultation with physicians.

Many countries have scaled back COVID-19 vaccinations in recent years, and some U.S. experts say the change makes sense here, given that nearly all Americans have some protection from previous vaccination or infection.

But implementing the shift presents a number of logistical problems.

Insurers typically base their vaccine coverage decisions on the recommendations of a panel of advisers to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but some say they will also look to medical professional groups, including the American Medical Association.

Earlier this year, Kennedy dissolved the CDC panel and replaced its members with a number of doctors and researchers who have repeatedly questioned the safety of commonly used vaccines and ingredients. The panel is expected to meet in September, but no specific date has been set and no agenda released.

Depending on the panel’s advice, Americans underage 65 could be expected to provide documentation of a serious medical condition before they can get a shot. Complicating the rollout is the fact that pharmacists — who administer most COVID vaccines in the U.S. — typically aren’t expected to collect that kind of information. And laws governing their ability to administer routine vaccinations vary by state, where pharmacists are licensed.

Nearly half states limit vaccinations by pharmacists to those recommended by the CDC panel.

Access could also be complicated for healthy adults and children who are interested in getting a shot for extra protection.

If the latest vaccines aren’t covered by their insurance, those patients could be required to pay $150 or more out of pocket if they want one. They might also have to find a doctor or other health professional willing to give the shot “off label,” or outside the use listed on the FDA label. Pharmacists may be reluctant to give vaccines off-label.

The updated shots from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax target a coronavirus subtype named LP. 8.1, a recently dominant version of the virus that is closely related to some newly emerging cousins.

All three shots were initially made available under the FDA’s emergency use authorization, an expedited process to quickly review vaccines and other countermeasures during the pandemic.

Moderna received full FDA approval in July for children down to 6 months and says it should have enough supply to meet U.S. demand.

In addition to revoking emergency use of Pfizer’s vaccine, the FDA also pulled authorization for several other therapies from the pandemic years, including convalescent plasma, which was used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients before the first antiviral drugs became available.

COVID-19 vaccines do a good job preventing severe disease, hospitalization and death, which remain a bigger risk for seniors and people with underlying health factors, including heart disease, lung disease and cancer.

Preliminary data from the CDC estimates 47,500 Americans died from COVID-related causes last year. In at least two-thirds of those cases, COVID-19 was listed as the underlying cause of death. For the rest, COVID-19 was a contributing factor.

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/fda-approves-updated-pfizer-covid-shots-limits-access-125032054

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Minneapolis Catholic school shooter IDd after church attack

 The shooter who opened fire on a Minneapolis Catholic school's church, killing at least two children and injuring 17 others, has now been identified. 

Robin Westman, 23, shot through stained glass windows at the children sitting on the pews inside Annunciation Catholic School's church at about 8.30am local time Wednesday.

Westman was armed with three guns - a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol - and fired all three weapons during the attack, police said. Two children aged eight and 10 were killed in the attack and at least 17 other victims - - 14 children and three adults - were injured.  

The shooter then turned the gun on himself. His body was found inside the church.

Westman, who was identified by police sources to multiple outlets, did not have an extensive criminal history. 

It is unclear if the shooter fired any of the weapons from inside the church or carried out the entire mass shooting outside before going inside. 

Police said at least two of the church doors appeared to have been blocked by two by fours before the shooting, suggesting the gunman wanted to trap the people inside. 

Robin Westman, 23, was named as the shooter who killed two children at Annunciation Catholic School's church Wednesday

Robin Westman, 23, was named as the shooter who killed two children at Annunciation Catholic School's church Wednesday

A gunman is dead after he stormed the Annunciation Catholic School's Church and killed at least two children

A gunman is dead after he stormed the Annunciation Catholic School's Church and killed at least two children

Parents await news of their children after a reported mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School church

Parents await news of their children after a reported mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School church

The shooter, who remains unidentified, stormed the school's church Wednesday morning. The church is pictured in 2017

The shooter, who remains unidentified, stormed the school's church Wednesday morning. The church is pictured in 2017

Officials are looking into his motive but said he has no extensive known criminal history.

A total of 14 children, aged between six and 14, are being treated at hospitals, and two of the students are in critical condition, per officials.

'The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life in the rear of the church,' said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, who added that the gunman acted in a 'deliberate act of violence.' 

'This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,' said the police chief, who noted that a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors. 

Police said the gunman parked his vehicle near the school and they will be investigating it as part of their probe. 

The gunman fired '50 to 100 shots' as students and staff were sat in pews and 'killed two kids,' a heartbroken parent who attended the mass told The Star Tribune.

The students at the Catholic grade school had started school on Monday and were attending mass when the shooter stormed the church, which is connected to the school.

The Catholic school teaches students from kindergarten through eighth grade. 

Senator Amy Klobuchar told MSNBC a seven-year-old watched as the gunman shot her friends in the back and neck.

'These kids are doing an all-school Mass and had to watch several of her friends get shot — one in the back, one in the neck,' Klobuchar said. 'And they all got down under the pews.'

Harrowing images showed terrified parents outside the church as they waited for news of their children

Harrowing images showed terrified parents outside the church as they waited for news of their children 

A state trooper embraced someone in a hug at the scene of the shooting Wednesday morning

A state trooper embraced someone in a hug at the scene of the shooting Wednesday morning

Children were being escorted out of the school and church by their parents

Children were being escorted out of the school and church by their parents

Harrowing images showed terrified parents outside the church as they waited for news of their children. 

The school was evacuated, and students’ families later were directed to a 'reunification zone' at the school. Outside, amid a heavy uniformed law enforcement presence, were uniformed children in their dark green shirts or dresses. Many were trickling out of the school with adults, giving lingering hugs and wiping away tears 

President Donald Trump has been 'fully briefed on the tragic shooting' and says the White House will 'continue to monitor this terrible situation'.

Governor Tim Walz added: '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.'

'I'm monitoring reports of horrific violence in South Minneapolis. I'm in touch with Chief O'Hara and our emergency response team has been activated,' Mayor Jacob Frey said.

'We will share more information as soon as we can. Please give our officers the space they need to respond to the situation.'

Dating to 1923, the pre-kindergarten through eighth grade school had an all-school Mass scheduled at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to its website. Monday was the first day of school. 

Recent social media posts from the school show children smiling at a back-to-school event, holding up summer art projects, playing together and enjoying ice pops. 

Seven people were shot, one fatally, in a separate mass shooting near a Catholic high school in south Minneapolis yesterday reported Kare11.

Police said the suspect, who escaped in a vehicle and does not appear to have been arrested since, fired around 30 rounds from a high-velocity .223 rifle.

Authorities have not confirmed any connection between the shootings.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15039957/Minneapolis-church-mass-shooting-gunman-catholic-school.html

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It's Quiet. Too Quiet

 By Bas van Geffen, Senior Market Strategist at Rabobank

Today’s headlines are more of the same, which should spell bad news for longer-term government bonds. The long end of the Treasury curve has been struggling since President Trump moved to terminate Lisa Cook position at the Fed on Monday. However, considering the potential implications, markets have arguably been eerily calm in the face of this news. Long-term yields are up, but not massively, and Bloomberg headlines today that speculators have accumulated the biggest net short positions on the VIX index since 2022, essentially betting that the calm will last. Is that a setup to another volmageddon?

As my colleagues pointed out in this daily over the past couple of days, the president is trying to align the central bank with his broader agenda. So why stop here?

If the dismissal of Cook holds up in court, Trump-appointees will have a majority in the Fed’s Board of Governors. But the Federal Open Market Committee, which makes policy decisions, also consists of the presidents of the 12 regional Federal Reserve banks. The next headline should therefore not be surprising. Bloomberg reports that the Trump administration is looking at its options to increase its influence over the nomination process of the regional Fed presidents.

According to one of Bloomberg’s sources, candidates for Fed Chair Powell’s job may also be considered to head one of the regional banks. However, it is not exactly clear how that would happen.

Unlike the Fed’s Board of Governors, the presidents of the regional Fed banks are not nominated by the US president and confirmed by the senate. Instead, they are appointed by private-sector boards and the Board of Governors. The Fed’s board confirms the appointments once every five years, and the next reappointments are scheduled for February. If Cook is replaced, the Trump loyalists in the Fed’s board could potentially block appointments. But there is currently no sure-fire way for Trump to get anyone in particular nominated for the job.

Likewise, the Trump administration is looking to expand its control over US supply chains. Following last week’s announcement that the White House will take a 10% stake in Intel, Secretary of Commerce Lutnick suggested that defence companies may be next: “They are basically an arm of the US government.”

So, as noted in yesterday’s daily, the US are taking a page from China’s playbook. Because markets alone cannot compete with China’s state-directed framework. Where does that leave Europe and its attempts to regain strategic autonomy?

Internally, France is descending into another political crisis after PM Bayrou called for a confidence vote on September 8. At 114%, Frances debt ratio is the third highest in the Eurozone, but the large budget deficit is particularly worrying. The minister of Finance said that he cannot rule out that the IMF may ultimately have to intervene if parliament does not take the necessary austerity measures. Although that scenario is still a long way off, what would the IMF have to offer? Advice about structural reforms and privatization? How will such policies fare against not only a state-led China, but also an increasingly coordinated US economy?

With this vote of confidence, Bayrou essentially wants to seek parliament’s support to continue drafting a budget for 2026. The prime minister wants to avoid that these efforts are shot down at a later stage, but in doing so, Bayrou now takes a very risky gamble with the future of his minority government.

Prior to the holidays, Bayrou’s proposed budget cuts had already sparked anger amongst the opposition parties. The hard left simply does not see the need for any austerity. Both Le Pen’s National Rally and the Socialists support austerity to some degree, but they want to cut in different areas than proposed by Bayrou.

Normally, this would leave room for negotiations. And the government’s budget cuts might have survived in an altered, perhaps somewhat diluted form. The vote of confidence is not a de facto approval of any budget – parliament will have to vote on that towards the end of the year. However, by calling for a vote of confidence, the prime minister is essentially putting pressure on these opposition parties to support his efforts to consolidate the budget. And that may be hard to swallow.

So, the risk has grown substantially that France’s government will fall, which would also raise the risk that the 2026 budget will not include any material spending cuts. The coming days will tell if Bayrou can work the opposition parties to get them on board. The Socialists have said that it's “inconceivable” that they will vote in favor of the government, but they seem to be the prime minister’s best chance for survival at this point

https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/its-quiet-too-quiet

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