Rosie O’Donnell, the well-known comedian and former talk show host, has issued a public apology after falsely claiming that the perpetrator of last week’s tragic Minneapolis Catholic school shooting was a supporter of former President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement. O’Donnell’s initial comments, made in an emotional TikTok rant, quickly drew backlash after investigators revealed the shooter’s actual motives and background, highlighting the dangers of making assumptions in the aftermath of national tragedies.
The shocking attack unfolded on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. According to The Independent and multiple national outlets, 23-year-old Robin Westman entered the church during a service and opened fire on the congregation. The violence left two children dead—eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel and ten-year-old Harper Moyski—and wounded 18 others, including children aged six to fifteen and three elderly parishioners in their eighties. Westman died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound as law enforcement rushed to the scene.
In the immediate aftermath, O’Donnell took to TikTok to express her horror and frustration, drawing parallels to the infamous Columbine shooting of 1999. In her since-deleted video, she stated, “Saw about the Minnesota shooting, and it brought me right back to Columbine in 1999 when I just could not get it through my head that students in America were shooting each other in schools.” O’Donnell went further, asserting, “What do you know? It was a white guy, Republican, MAGA person. What do you know? White supremacists.” She also criticized the National Rifle Association, calling it a “terrorist organization,” and lambasted America’s gun culture, asking, “When is enough enough, America? Haven’t you had enough of Donald Trump? The Heritage Foundation? All their bulls–t? He’s their puppet … but guess what? It’s coming to an end.”
However, these claims were swiftly contradicted by the facts uncovered by law enforcement and reported by outlets such as The Independent and Mediaite. Investigators found no links between Westman and the Republican Party, the MAGA movement, or any white supremacist organizations. Instead, evidence pointed to a very different set of motives. According to police and fact-checkers, Westman was a self-identified transgender woman with a nihilistic worldview and an obsession with past mass shooters. The shooter left behind a chilling final video message and handwritten manifesto pages expressing despair over gender identity and a disturbing disdain for children, including the phrase “f–k those kids.”
Perhaps most tellingly, Westman had scrawled “Kill Donald Trump” on one of the gun magazines used in the attack. Investigators also discovered writings expressing hatred toward Christians, Black people, Hispanic people, Jews, and Israel. These details directly contradicted O’Donnell’s assertion that the shooter was motivated by right-wing extremism or white supremacist ideology. As Mediaite reported, “Investigators, however, say Westman scrawled ‘a call for President Trump’s death’ on a firearm magazine, alongside other writings expressing hatred for Christians, Black people, Hispanic people, Jews, and Israel.”
Faced with mounting criticism and the clear evidence that her claims were unfounded, O’Donnell posted a video apology on Sunday, August 31, 2025. In the video, she admitted, “I know a lot of you were very upset about the video I made before I went away for a few days. You are right and I did not do my due diligence before I made that emotional statement. I said things about the shooter that were incorrect.” She continued, “I assumed, like most shooters, they followed a standard MO and had standard feelings of, you know, NRA-loving kind of gun people. The truth is, I messed up and when you mess up, you fess up. I’m sorry, this is my apology video and I hope it’s enough.”
O’Donnell also addressed critics directly in the comments section of her TikTok post, writing, “I was wrong - and I apologize - what more do [you] want?” In the video’s caption, she reiterated, “My apologies to maga for saying the school shooter was one of u – that is incorrect – i made a mistake – i didn’t research – im sorry.” Her apology drew a mixed response, with some viewers accepting her contrition and others calling it “the most unapologetic apology ever.”
This incident is not the first time O’Donnell’s political commentary has attracted attention. The comedian has had a public feud with Trump dating back to 2006, when she was a host on The View. Her outspoken criticism of the former president has been a recurring feature of her public persona. After Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, O’Donnell relocated to the Dublin suburb of Howth, Ireland, with her youngest child, Clay, who is non-binary and autistic. She cited political and emotional reasons for the move, stating in March, “I knew that it would really tax me emotionally to have to do that [live in Trump’s America]. So I’m very happy that we made the decision that we made.”
O’Donnell has spoken warmly about her new life in Ireland, telling The Independent, “It’s been pretty wonderful, I have to say. The people are so loving and so kind, so welcoming. And I’m very grateful.” She and her child are in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship, distancing themselves from what she described as the “heartbreaking” political climate in the United States.
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School has reignited debates about gun violence, mental health, and the role of public figures in shaping narratives around such tragedies. While O’Donnell’s initial comments reflected a widespread frustration with America’s ongoing struggle with mass shootings, her rush to judgment—and subsequent retraction—highlight the importance of waiting for verified facts before assigning blame or motive.
Law enforcement officials and national media have urged the public to avoid jumping to conclusions in the wake of traumatic events, emphasizing the necessity of careful investigation and fact-checking. The tragic deaths of Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski, along with the wounding of so many others, remain a stark reminder of the real human cost of such violence—costs that go far beyond the headlines and social media debates.
As the community in Minneapolis mourns and begins to heal, the episode serves as a cautionary tale about the speed of misinformation in the digital age and the responsibility that comes with having a public platform. O’Donnell’s apology, while imperfect in the eyes of some, stands as a public acknowledgment of that responsibility, and a reminder that even in moments of anger or heartbreak, accuracy and diligence matter.
