The Minneapolis gunman who killed two and injured 17 at a Catholic school referenced Texas gun rights activist and congressional candidate Brandon Herrera in a video posted before the attack. Herrera has denounced the mention as “disgusting.”
In a video put online before the shooting, the gunman who killed two people and hurt 17 others at a Catholic school in Minneapolis on Wednesday seemed to talk about Brandon Herrera, a congressional candidate in Texas and a gun rights activist.
Police have named the attacker as 23-year-old Robin Westman. He opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School during a Mass for children. PatriotTakes, a study group, brought attention to a now-deleted YouTube video where someone claiming to be Westman showed off weapons, ammunition, and a manifesto, saying that the message was "sponsored" by "Brandon Herrera for president." Threats against former President Donald Trump, racist slurs, and praise for domestic terrorists were also present in the video.
Herrera, also known as "the AK Guy" on YouTube with more than 4 million fans, is running against U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-San Antonio) in a rematch of their heated 2024 primary. He said that hearing his name was making him "physically sick."
"This clearly hate-filled attack on innocent children still makes me sick to my stomach, and I am disgusted that this demon's mouth spoke my name," Herrera wrote on X.
Herrera said Thursday in a six-minute YouTube video that he did not recall meeting Westman at the SHOT Show, the annual gun industry gathering in Las Vegas that he attended last year. The shooter was not a registered attendee, according to the event promoters.
Nachera said, "When I heard about this for the first time, I did not want to believe it was real." "After watching the video, I felt sick to my stomach when I heard it with my own ears."
Some people online speculated that the shooter may have mentioned his name intentionally to damage his reputation, but Herrera stated, "There is no way to determine if that is true." He said he is working with the police and friends to help the victims' families.
As seen in the film about Herrera, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that the shooter had written disturbing words like "Kill Donald Trump" on rifle magazines.
Gonzales, co-chair of the Bipartisan School Safety and Security Caucus, called the shooting "tragic and infuriating," but he would not say anything about Herrera's name being given out.
Gonzales wrote on social media, "School safety needs to be a top priority for lawmakers across the country." "Too many people have died." Say "no more excuses."
As a possible act of domestic terrorism, the FBI is looking into the killing.
