Minnesota mass killing: Melania Trump calls for behavioural threat assessment of American society

US First Lady Melania Trump condemned the Catholic church in Minneapolis that killed two children, calling for a “behavioural threat assessment” to detect potential shooters. Melania took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to extend her condolences to the families of the victims.

“The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters. Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviours and making violent threats online before their actions,” she wrote on Thursday.

“To prevent future tragedies, we must look into behavioural threat assessments across all levels of society—beginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms. Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer,” she furthered.

The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters. Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions.…

— MELANIA TRUMP (@MELANIATRUMP) August 28, 2025

Minneapolis shooting rocks Minnesota

Two children aged eight and 10 were killed in the attack that injured at least 17 other victims, including 14 children and three adults. The shooting took place at Annunciation Church before the gunman took his own life. According to the authorities, the shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, formerly known as Robert. Westman was a 23-year-old transgender anti-Trump.

His mother was working at the school the shooter attacked. In a press conference on Thursday, officials said that the shooter was armed with three guns and attacked the school where the gunman’s mother was working. All three weapons were fired during the attack, police said.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the shooter approached the side of the church and shot through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews. It remains unclear if the shooter fired any of the weapons from inside the church or carried out the entire mass shooting before entering the premises.

‘Deliberate act of violence’

At the press conference, police said that 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. “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping,” O’Hara said at a news conference.

“The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” he added. 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 authorities maintained that Westman’s mother, Mary, was an employee at the school before she retired in 2021. A few years before this, Mary had signed an application for Robin to have her name changed from Robert, according to court records seen by the Daily Mail.