NBC News quietly updated its coverage with a blunt correction: it had used “the wrong pronoun” for the Minneapolis church shooter, Robin Westman, adding that “She used female pronouns.” The note landed amid a tense media scramble over how outlets described the 23-year-old suspect’s gender identity in the aftermath of last week’s deadly attack.
The correction followed days of confusion across broadcasts and write-ups as reporters pieced together who Westman was and how to refer to the suspect. Even NPR flagged a “clarification” after Sen. Amy Klobuchar used male pronouns during a live interview, showing just how quickly language choices became part of the story.
We are on the “apologize to the dead trans child killer for using male pronouns” part of the timeline
NBC issues correction for ‘misgendering’ Minnesota trans Catholic school shooterhttps://t.co/ZXzmOB33VI
— Libby Emmons (@libbyemmons) September 2, 2025
Lost in the grammar fight were the brutal basics. Police say Westman opened fire during a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis on August 27, killing two children and wounding more than a dozen others before dying by suicide. Authorities detailed a rapid, terrifying barrage that left families shattered and a city grieving.
Court records and local reporting show Westman had legally changed the name from Robert to Robin several years ago, identifying as a woman. That document trail helped clarify why some outlets, including NBC after its edit, opted for female pronouns, though not without blowback from critics who argued that accuracy about biological sex should outweigh identity terminology in a crime report.
CNN chief LE and intel analysist John Miller talks about the shooter, noting his name, his social media posts showing off the weapons and equipment, and his writings. BUT he refuses to admit that the shooter is transgendered. pic.twitter.com/3Qx1ImjqmC
— Nicholas Fondacaro (@NickFondacaro) August 27, 2025
Investigators also recovered writings and online posts that sketched a darker personal spiral. In passages translated and reported by the New York Post, Westman expressed deep regret about being transgender and self-loathing over appearance, lines that ricocheted across social media and cable panels. Other outlets summarized similar entries from videos and a manifesto posted before the attack.
The numbers are stark. Officials and hospital updates put the wounded at well over a dozen, including many children; some remain in recovery. The city held vigils, and state leaders signaled a renewed push on gun legislation as the case reverberated from the Twin Cities to Washington.
NBC’s edit note, while short, became a flashpoint. Supporters said it simply corrected a style error to reflect how the subject identified, detractors called it a misplaced priority that centered pronouns over victims. The flare-up mirrored a broader media debate that unfolded in real time, with conservative and liberal outlets highlighting different aspects of the same facts.
CNN analyst commiserates with ‘grieving mother’ of TRANS Minneapolis shooter
Police say she ‘hasn’t even returned to the state’ to answer questions
CNN insists shooter is female and not a biological male pic.twitter.com/vJ4Vs94ZW8
— RT (@RT_com) August 29, 2025
What’s not in dispute is the devastation. Authorities say Westman fired repeatedly from outside the church’s stained-glass windows as families ducked for cover. The shooter never made it inside, the chaos lasted minutes but left a permanent scar. Officials confirmed the suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene.
As the investigation moves forward, examining motive, sourcing of the weapons, and red-flag warnings, newsrooms will keep wrestling with language choices under a microscope. NBC’s correction is likely not the last dust-up in the coverage, but for the families of the victims, the debate is background noise to a grim reality: two young lives were cut short, and dozens more were changed forever.
