Minneapolis church shooting: Attacker ‘obsessed with killing children’ – Police

Investigators have revealed that the man who opened fire on pupils gathered for prayer at a Minneapolis church was “obsessed with the idea of killing children.”

The gunman, identified as Robin Westman, killed two children and injured 18 others in Wednesday’s attack.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the 34-year-old appeared to have no clear motive, describing him as someone who “appeared to hate all of us.”

“More than anything, the shooter wanted to kill children,” O’Hara told reporters on Thursday.

The two children who lost their lives have been named as eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Both were attending a church prayer gathering when the gunfire erupted.

Fletcher’s father, Jesse Merkel, paid tribute to his son in an emotional statement. “Yesterday, a coward decided to take our eight-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” he said.

“Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play.”

Authorities said the injured include several children who remain in critical condition. Federal investigators are assisting local police in combing through the attacker’s digital history, which reportedly showed a fixation on violence.

The massacre has left the Minneapolis community reeling, with vigils planned in memory of the young victims as questions mount over how the gunman was able to carry out the assault.