Two children, ages eight and ten, were killed in the attack.

Fourteen other children and three adults were injured. Investigators also discovered that at least two of the church’s doors had been blocked with wooden boards, suggesting an attempt to trap victims inside.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and people worshipping,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said, describing the attack as an act of “sheer cruelty and cowardice.”

Troubling writings and contradictions

Hours before the shooting, Westman published a lengthy suicide note and videos on YouTube, which have since been removed. In his writings, he spoke of years of depression, suicidal thoughts, and a belief that he was dying of cancer from vaping.

“I