Gun retailer proprietor says shooter who killed 2 schoolchildren confirmed no warning indicators earlier than assault

ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn. (AP) — The shooter who killed two schoolchildren and injured 21 different individuals at a Catholic church in Minneapolis visited a suburban gun store the weekend earlier than the assault, however the proprietor of the shop mentioned Thursday that his employees noticed no warning indicators of their interactions.

Gun retailer proprietor Kory Krause instructed the Related Press that Robin Westman spent round 40 minutes at Frontiersman Sports activities in St. Louis Park on Aug. 23 and appeared utterly comfortable. A surveillance video confirmed Westman examined a number of weapons earlier than in the end shopping for a revolver.

Westman had already handed the required background checks and had a sound allow to buy the gun, Krause mentioned.

However the revolver wasn’t one of many weapons Westman used within the shootings on the Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, when it was full of scholars from the affiliated Annunciation Catholic College who had gathered for his or her first Mass of the tutorial yr. Investigators recovered a semiautomatic assault-style rifle, a shotgun and a distinct handgun on the scene, and mentioned Westman was legally entitled to purchase them. Krause mentioned none got here from his retailer.

Westman, 23, attended the college for eighth grade and Westman’s mom previously labored for the parish, however investigators are nonetheless making an attempt to find out a motive. Westman died by suicide after firing 116 rifle rounds via the church’s stained-glass home windows.

As first reported by KSTP-TV, the safety video reveals Westman dealing with a number of firearms and speaking with workers and different clients. Krause wasn’t within the retailer on the time, however he mentioned he promptly shared the video with investigators and is cooperating with them.

Krause careworn that nothing in Westman’s conduct raised any considerations amongst his staffers, who he mentioned are skilled to look at for warning indicators.

“This individual mentioned all the proper issues, they checked all the proper packing containers, requested all of the questions, they have been pleasant, talkative, making jokes, laughing, educated about weapons, dealt with a number of weapons that weren’t the kind of weapons you’ll suppose are of the curiosity of someone trying to do a mass taking pictures,” Krause instructed AP.

Krause mentioned his workers have intensive expertise in selecting out dangerous actors, straw purchasers, people who find themselves homicidal, suicidal, mentally unstable or inebriated or medication. However he mentioned nothing stood out with Westman.

“We’re nonetheless going over it,” Krause mentioned. “We’re nonetheless scratching our heads pondering, ‘What did we miss? What may we’ve executed?’ Nevertheless it at all times ends with the reply of ‘nothing.’ There was simply nothing there. And that’s what makes this case so distinctive.”

Democratic Gov. Tim Walz mentioned Tuesday he intends to name a particular session of the Minnesota Legislature to deal with gun and college security, and he instructed that an assault weapons ban could be on his checklist of proposals, which he’s nonetheless growing. However it will be very troublesome for something to move the carefully divided Legislature with out not less than some bipartisan help.

Home Republicans on Thursday launched a listing of proposals that lack any restrictions on entry to firearms. It requires elevated funding for varsity safety and for varsity assets officers, together with for personal colleges. They might additionally prohibit districts from banning faculty useful resource officers, as Minneapolis and another districts have executed. The Home GOP additionally known as for extra psychological well being remedy beds, and necessary minimal jail sentences for repeat criminals who use weapons and for straw purchasers of firearms which can be utilized in violent crimes.

College students Demand Motion, an arm of Everytown for Gun Security, is organizing faculty walkouts throughout the nation for Friday to demand that state and federal lawmakers ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

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Related Press author Steve Karnowski reported from Minneapolis.