Minneapolis shooter Robin Westman ‘wanted to watch children suffer’, officials say
Robin Westman, the Minneapolis shooter, was fixated on the idea of killing children, officials have said.
“I won’t dignify the shooter’s words by repeating them,” acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Joseph Thompson said at a briefing Thursday. “They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer.”
The two children shot and killed in the school shooting in Minnesota have now been named by their families. The first was identified as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, whose father gave an emotional statement to reporters on Thursday afternoon.
Shortly after, Harper Moyski was named in a statement shared on her parents’ behalf, which described the 10-year-old as “bright, joyful, and deeply loved.”
Westman, 23, was identified as the shooter who fired through the stained-glass windows at the church next to Annunciation Catholic School around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, as students were celebrating Mass at the start of the academic year.
Victim’s father urges people to remember his son
The father of the 8-year-old boy killed tearfully urged the community to remember his son for his love of family, fishing and cooking.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.”
“Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life,” Jesse Merkel said Thursday.
Suspect’s mom hires defence attorney
Robin Westman’s mom Mary Grace has retained criminal defense attorney Ryan Garry as investigations into Wednesday’s attack continue.
The attorney, who is known for his work with NFL star Colin Kaepernick on representing the George Floyd protestors, told Fox News he had been retained by Mary Grace.
“She is completely distraught about the situation and has no culpability but is seeking an attorney to deal with calls like this,” he said.
On Thursday, Minneapolis police said they had not yet been able to make contact with Mary Grace but they were trying to do so.
Who is Robin Westman? What we know about suspect in Minneapolis school shooting that left two children dead
New details are providing more insight into the shooting at a Minnesota church as police continue to probe the motive behind Robert Westman’s attack that was designed to “terrorize as many people as possible.”
“The shooter saw the attack as a way to target our most vulnerable among us while they were at their most vulnerable at school and at church,” U.S. Acting Attorney General for Minnesota Joseph Thompson said.
Westman, 23, dressed all in black and armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, fired through the stained-glass windows of a church adjacent to the Annunciation Catholic School just after 8:30 a.m., as children and teachers gathered for the first Mass of the year.
While a motive for the attack remained unclear Thursday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told MSNBC that there was “some degree of planning” that went into the shooting.
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Who is Robin Westman? What we know about Minneapolis church shooting suspect
Watch: Father of 8-year-old victim in Minneapolis shooting makes emotional statement
Robin Westman’s mother has not spoken to police
Suspect Robin Westman’s mom has yet to speak to police in the wake of the deadly shooting, officers have said.
Mary Grace Westman worked as a secretary at the Minneapolis school her child opened fire at for five years before her retirement in 2021, according to a Facebook post and a church blog.
In a press conference on Thursday, Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara said: “I know we have not been successful in talking to the shooter’s mother, yet, at this time.
“But there continue to be efforts made to get that done.”
No reason to block firearms sale to shooter, officials say
Officials say the shooter Robin Westman was legally allowed to buy firearms, as she had no criminal record, diagnosed mental health issues, or prior state commitments.
Despite concerning social media posts, authorities stressed that Minnesota law sets strict criteria for blocking gun sales, and no community reports triggered intervention before the attack.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions, said: “We need the help of the public and everybody else if there’s concerning social media behavior by anybody – or that there’s concern in their community – that they are contacting their law enforcement so that we can adequately address that in the process. That did not happen in this case.”
Police previously visited shooter’s home
Despite a police visit to the shooter’s home seven years before yesterday’s mass shooting, no warning signs appear to have been raised as she accumulated an arsenal – including the rifle, pistol, and shotgun used in the attack on the church, the NBC News reported.
Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said authorities have no evidence that the shooter suffered from mental illness, and aside from a traffic violation, she had no prior police record.
“There is nothing in the investigation so far that would lead us to believe that anything was missed,” O’Hara said.
He said that Robin Westman, the shooter, was able to “lawfully purchase these weapons”.
Those hospitalized following Minneapolis shooting ‘largely stable’, says trauma doctor
Dr Jon Gayken, a trauma surgeon at Hennepin Healthcare, said the nine patients hospitalized after the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, including five children, are “largely stable.”
“They are largely stable,” he said. “Overall, after I left the hospital this afternoon, I was happy with where the patients were at tonight.”
“We do drill for this. But nobody is really quite ready for the real thing because you’ve got to add the human emotion, the shock of it all.”
11-year-old survivor of church shooting says she is ‘scared’ and ‘paranoid’
Chloe Francoual, an 11-year-old survivor of the Minneapolis school shooting, says it has left her feeling “scared” and “paranoid”.
She described how she now wants to shut every open window she sees.
She told CNN she hopes Mass will no longer be held at the Annunciation church.
“I still feel scared,” she said. “I feel kind of like paranoid.”
“Every time I see, like, a window open, I want to close it. Because just, I don’t want it happening again. And what’s scary to think about is that ‘What if another person comes?’” she told the outlet.
“I really hope they don’t do Mass at the church anymore,” she said.
“Because I think they know that people will have like, really bad flashbacks of it. And they’re like scared to like walk in, and they’re like looking around like a shivering, like, shaking. And then I think that the school knows that.”
Second victim of Minnesota church shooting identified as ‘bright, joyful and deeply loved’ 10-year-old
The second victim of the deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday has been identified as Harper Moyski, age 10.
“We are devastated to share that our beloved daughter, Harper Moyski, was tragically killed in the recent school shooting,” parents Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said in a statement to media outlets. “Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her.”
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss,” the statement adds. “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”
Earlier today, Fletcher Merkel, 8, was named as the other victim in the shooting, which also wounded 18 people, mostly children.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.”
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Second victim of Minnesota church shooting identified as ‘bright, joyful’ 10-year-old
Chris Froome recovering in hospital after surgery following ‘serious’ crash
Four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome has undergone “successful” surgery after a serious training accident in France that left him with a fractured vertebrae, collapsed lung and five broken ribs.
Froome, 40, crashed while on a training ride on Wednesday and was airlifted to hospital in Toulon, around 100 miles from his home in Monaco.
A statement from his Israel Premier-Tech team said: “We can confirm that Chris has successfully undergone surgery following his recent injuries. The procedures went as planned, and Chris is currently recovering in hospital under the care of his medical team.
“He is in good spirits and grateful for the excellent medical support he has received. Chris and his family would like to thank fans, friends, and the cycling community for their concern and kind messages during this time.”
Froome’s injuries will end his season and could therefore mean the end of one of the most successful Grand Tour careers in cycling’s history, with Froome in the final months of the five-year contract he signed when he left the Ineos Grenadiers to join Israel Premier-Tech ahead of the 2021 campaign.
Froome won the Tour de France in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017, also winning the Giro d’Italia in 2018 and the Vuelta a Espana in both 2011 and 2017 – all with Team Sky.
Only four men have more Tour titles, with Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain all five-time winners. Only Merckx, Anquetil and Hinault have more than Froome’s seven Grand Tour titles, which leave him tied with Indurain, Alberto Contador and Fausto Coppi.
However, Froome has never recovered the form he enjoyed before a serious crash he suffered during the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine, which left him in intensive care with a fractured femur, elbow, ribs and pelvis.
The last of his 46 professional career wins came at the 2018 Giro and his best result since that 2019 crash was third place on stage 12 of the 2022 Tour de France to Alpe d’Huez as Tom Pidcock took the victory.
Froome broke his collarbone at the UAE Tour in February and had previously hinted that 2025 could be his final year of competitive racing. He last raced at the Tour of Poland earlier this month, finishing 68th overall.
Racism storm overshadows US Open as Osaka joins criticism of Ostapenko
Naomi Osaka has joined the debate swirling around Jelena Ostapenko’s comments and courtside clash with Taylor Townsend as a racism storm descends on the US Open.
Ostapenko, who has rejected accusations of racism, hit out at American Townsend and accused her of having “no education” and “no class” following their second-round match, with the argument now on Wednesday now building into one of the most talked-about moments of the tournament, with world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka supporting the Latvian player.
The comments, which Ostapenko justified as a reaction to Townsend not apologising for a shot that hit the top of the net, have prompted accusations of racism.
Ostapenko strongly denied that on social media, while Townsend also said she did not interpret the remarks in that way, but Osaka gave the Latvian a verbal volley when asked about the incident.
“I think obviously it’s one of the worst things you can say to a black tennis player in a majority white sport,” said Osaka.
“I know Taylor and I know how hard she’s worked and I know how smart she is, so she’s the furthest thing from uneducated or anything like that.”
Ostapenko is known as one of the fieriest characters on the women’s tour, and Osaka added: “If you’re genuinely asking me about the history of Ostapenko, I don’t think that’s the craziest thing she’s said. I’m going to be honest.
“I think it’s ill timing and the worst person you could have ever said it to. And I don’t know if she knows the history of it in America. But I know she’s never going to say that ever again in her life. It was just terrible.”
Sabalenka also addressed the incident after her second-round victory on Wednesday night, revealing she had spoken to Ostapenko following the row.
“I have to say that she’s nice,” said Sabalenka. “She just sometimes can lose control. She has some things in life to face and some struggles.
“I was just trying to help her to face it more in a mature way, trying to help her to settle down and just was someone she could speak to and just let it go.
“I really hope that one day she will figure herself and she will handle it much better. I’m pretty sure, looking back, she’s not happy with her behaviour.”
Ostapenko was back on court at Flushing Meadows on Thursday in doubles and may have feared a hostile reception from the crowd but that did not turn out to be the case, with cheers rather than jeers.
The former French Open champion declined to fulfil her press obligations afterwards, with organisers citing medical reasons.
PA contributed to this story
Thai PM removed from office over call with ex-Cambodia leader
Thailand’s Constitutional Court has disqualified suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra for ethical misconduct over a controversial phone call with Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, means the prime minister will be immediately removed from office. This makes Ms Paetongtarn the fifth prime minister since 2008 to be stripped of office by the powerful court.
Ms Paetongtarn, daughter of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was suspended from her duties on 1 July after a one-year term following uproar over a leaked phone call between her and Cambodia’s former leader.
In the call recording from 15 June, as border tensions ramped up between the two countries, she had called Mr Hun Sen “uncle” and appeared to criticise Thai military actions. She received backlash from people over her perceived friendly tone as critics said she maligned a Thai army general.
Several petitions were filed in the Constitutional Court to remove her, claiming that Ms Paetongtarn had breached the ethical standards expected of a prime minister.
Massive protests took place at Victory Monument demanding she resign as protesters held banners sating “uncle is not our friend”.
Ms Paetongtarn had defended her tone in the leaked phone call as a negotiation technique. But the court in its verdict rejected the argument and said she violated ethical standards.
“[Paetongtarn]’s actions did not preserve the nation’s pride and considered personal interest over the country’s, which seriously violated or failed to follow the ethical standards,” the court said in its verdict.
Her move has “caused the public to lose trust and faith towards the Thai premiership” and caused “grave damage” to her work, the court said.
“It has caused the public to cast doubt if [her actions] would benefit Cambodia more than benefitting the nation’s interest.”
Mr Hun Sen, who Ms Paetongtarn was talking to, was Cambodia’s prime minister for 38 years until his son Hun Manet took over the job in 2023.
The phone call recording emerged as long-standing tensions over the border between Cambodia and Thailand heightened after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief incident of violence in disputed territory in May. In late June, the two countries engaged in five days of combat that killed dozens of people and displaced more than 260,000.
The court’s ruling comes as a blow to the ruling coalition led by Paetongtarn’s Pheu Thai party. The controversy over the phone call caused the Bhumjaithai Party, the biggest partner of Pheu Thai, to drop out, leaving the coalition with a slim majority of seats in the House of Representatives.
Now a new prime minister will be chosen by a vote in the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, Phumtham Wechayachai, the first deputy prime minister has already been serving as acting prime minister, will continue working as the leader.
Make the most of London this summer with this stadium experience
Whether you’re experiencing London for the first time or you’re a family with kids keen to create unforgettable memories during the holidays, a visit to this world-famous stadium in North London is a must.
After 90 years at their beloved Highbury stadium, Arsenal’s ambitions outgrew their original home and in 2006, the club opened the Emirates. With a seating capacity of over 60,000, the Emirates stadium is one of the largest in England. The sheer scale of this field of dreams must be seen to believed — and thanks to its easy-to-reach location, you can hop on a bus or train and get there in no time.
Once there, Arsenal’s award-winning tours open the doors to parts of the stadium that are usually off-limits to the public. For sightseers who prefer to go at their own pace and for those with little ones who tire easily, the club’s self-guided audio-visual tour is a great option.
What to expect on an audio-visual tour
Fans and families can take their time to soak in the atmosphere and stroll in the footsteps of footballing legends, imagining the roar of the crowd as you step into the players’ tunnel. Afterwards, feel the tension rise in the dugout and experience the best seats in the house in the directors’ box.
It’s a rare opportunity to glimpse the inner workings of a prestigious football club and explore normally restricted areas that also include the home and away dressing rooms, the media lounge and the exclusive members-only Diamond Club.
Available in seven languages on a state-of-the-art handheld device, the tour is narrated by Arsenal presenter David Frimpong, otherwise known as ‘Frimmy’, as well as featuring commentary from Arsenal legends Alex Scott and David Seaman.
As well as audio, the tour recreates the electric atmosphere of matchday using 360-degree augmented footage and includes brand new interactive elements. You can also take souvenir photos with iconic Arsenal trophies, including that of the UEFA Women’s Champions League.
What other tours are available?
The Arsenal Legend Stadium Tour is a more bespoke alternative to the self-guided tour, where visitors can explore the stadium for 90 minutes alongside an Arsenal hero. Tour guides include Nigel Winterburn and Perry Groves, as well as former women’s captain Faye White MBE.
During the tour, the Arsenal legend will share memories, anecdotes and behind-the-scenes stories from their time on the pitch, offering a unique insider’s perspective on life at the club. Expect plenty of humour, fascinating insights and a chance to hear back-room gossip straight from the legends themselves. There’s also a chance for a Q&A and photo opportunity with your Arsenal legend of choice.
What makes this tour special?
Included with every tour ticket is entry into Arsenal’s interactive museum situated right next door to the stadium. Chart the club’s evolution from humble origins in Woolwich in 1886 to its modern powerhouse status with a global following of over 100 million fans.
The museum features two impressive video theatres, showing highlights from the club’s origins to the present day as well as twenty major displays of Arsenal’s proud history. Feast your eyes on silverware from the club’s most successful eras, Michael Thomas’s boots from Anfield 1989 and Jens Lehmann’s goalkeeper gloves worn for every league match of the unbeaten Invincibles season in 2003/4.
For lifelong Gooners, it’s a trip down memory lane. For families and tourists, it’s an eye-opening lesson in why football matters so much to the UK and is the perfect outing to experience London at its most authentic.
This content is brought to you by Living360, a digital lifestyle destination keeping you up to date with health and fitness, food and drink, homes and gardens, beauty, travel, finance trends and more.
Mounjaro weight-loss jab ‘to be offered at discounted prices’
The manufacturer of weight-loss drug Mounjaro says it expects the costs of the jabs to be discounted after an official price rise takes effect on Monday.
Eli Lilly has suggested to pharmacies the cost of the maximum 15mg dose should be £247.50 a month, instead of the originally planned £330 price tag, which would have represented a 170 per cent increase on the current cost of £122 a month.
The new discounted price is still more than double what it costs now.
US firm Eli Lilly planned the price increase after US president Donald Trump urged America’s drug manufacturers to raise their prices abroad and reduce them at home.
It led to some UK users stockpiling the jabs, causing shortages at pharmacies, including at Boots, Lloyds Pharmacy and Superdrug.
As a result, the manufacturer suspended sales of the jab to UK wholesalers.
A confidential document from Eli Lilly to pharmacies sets out the new saving of £83 on the cost of the maximum dose, according to Sky News.
Lower doses of the drug, dubbed the “King Kong” of weight-loss medicine, will attract lower discounts. The six doses available range from 2.5mg to 15mg.
Some pharmacies have reported users are switching to rival weight-loss drug Wegovy, which is cheaper, ahead of the Mounjaro price hike. Sales of Wegovy at one supplier soared by 2,600 per cent following Eli Lilly’s announcement.
The NHS has started rolling out weight-loss jabs through GPs, but health chiefs expect it will take more than a decade to reach everyone who could qualify for the drug, and most users pay for it privately.
Medical experts have warned people not to turn to fake weight-loss jabs after fears the Mounjaro price hike could make it unaffordable for people who are “already struggling to pay for it”.
An Eli Lilly spokesperson said: “We are working with private providers on commercial arrangements to maintain affordability and expect these to be passed onto patients when the change is effective on 1st September.
“We are already seeing providers respond in different ways to the list price change, with a range of options available for eligible patients.
“We also want to work in partnership with the government to expand NHS access for eligible patients, building on the commitments in the government’s 10-year plan.”
Mounjaro does have downsides for some users. Its side effects include nausea, upset stomach and heartburn.
According to the NHS, some users may experience more serious side effects, such as low blood sugar, gallstones and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).
How Hurricane Erin will hit the UK with heavy downpours this weekend
The UK is set to feel the double effects of Tropical Storm Fernand and Hurricane Erin over the weekend as they move across the Atlantic.
The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for rain across parts of the country as it warns of an “unseasonable” rainy weekend.
Hurricane Erin hit the east coast of the US and Canada last week after first descending on the Caribbean. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Fernand has remained over the Atlantic and posed little risk to land.
While both have been downgraded by authorities and are dissipating over the ocean, they will send low pressure systems towards the UK in the coming days. This will bring unsettled and rainy conditions, the Met Office has confirmed.
Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said this will be caused by “a couple of low pressure centres” currently over the Atlantic interacting with the jet stream.
This is a column of air high up in the atmosphere that causes changes in wind and pressure at that level. The effects of this are then felt nearer the surface.
He said: “It looks like these low pressure centres are going to get closer towards the jet stream as they push their way across the Atlantic, then a sort of new feature is going to develop with these low pressures joining it and all amalgamating together.”
“That low pressure system is going to run across the jet stream, get a but more oomph … and then make its way towards us as a relatively deep layer of low pressure.”
This is set to bring “unseasonable” weather, Mr Burkill added, by Saturday 30 August.
Up to 10 to 20mm of heavy rain and gusts in excess of 50mph are expected in some areas this weekend, The Met Office has warned, particularly along the coast and on high ground.
It will mark the end of a dry spell for the UK after back-to-back heatwaves have led to what will likely be declared the country’s hottest ever summer.
Here is the Met Office’s forecast for the coming week:
Today
Sunshine and scattered showers for many, these heavy and thundery at times with the possibility of hail. Breezy, especially in the West, and feeling cooler here, but warmer in sunny spells in the East.
Tonight
Becoming largely dry with clear spells across the East and South East. Elsewhere, showers likely to become more organised in the South West and North West. Breezy for most.
Friday
More rain across the South West with heavy and thundery showers, these moving eastwards across southern counties. Elsewhere any showers easing in the afternoon with temperatures around average.
Outlook for Saturday to Monday
Staying unsettled this weekend with further spells of rain and showers. Widely wet and windy on Saturday, but with some brightness returning on Sunday. Temperatures remaining around average.