BURSTFirst lady Melania Trump weighed in on Wednesday's school shooting in Minneapolis, arguing it “illuminates” the need for “pre-emptive intervention” in identifying potential shooters.
“The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters," she wrote Wednesday night on social platform X. "Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions."
“To prevent future tragedies, it is crucial we look into behavioral threat assessments across all levels of society — beginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms,” the first lady added. “Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer.”
Two children were killed and 17 other people were injured in a Wednesday morning shooting at a Catholic school in southern Minneapolis.
The shooter, identified as a 23-year-old Robin Westman, barricaded Annunciation Catholic School’s door during the shooting and eventually died by self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to police. Westman was reportedly dressed in black and carried a rifle, shotgun and pistol.
The suspect wrote incendiary messages on the gun magazines, including one that read “Kill Donald Trump.” Images of the firearms appeared in a manifesto posted online around the same time as the shooting.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the suspect identified as transgender, adding the bureau is investigating the shooting as an act of "domestic terrorism" and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) praised the “incredibly brave” faculty and teachers who “protected these kids from harm” and commended police officers who “ran towards danger when the rest of us could have run in the other direction.”
“This was a horrific tragedy in Minneapolis, and then again how many times have you heard politicians talk about an unspeakable tragedy, and yet this kind of thing happens again and again,"
Prayers, thoughts, they are certainly welcomed, but they are not enough. Right now, we have a city that is united in grief, and we have a city that is gonna be united in action,” Frey said in a Thursday morning appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America."
He added, “Because the truth is that there needs to be change, so that we don't have another mayor in another month and-a-half, talking about a tragedy that happened in their city."