Rosie O’Donnell has apologised for calling the Minneapolis school gunman a “Maga person”. The comedian and former talk show host said Robin Westman, the transgender gunman who killed two children and injured 18 during a start-of-term Mass, was “a white guy, Republican, Maga person … white supremacist”. She also criticised the NRA, describing it as a terrorist organisation.
++ Jellyfish surge along atlantic coast causes caution for beachgoers
Westman, who changed their name from Robert in 2019, had scrawled threats against Donald Trump and others in a journal, alongside crude sketches of the church attached to Annunciation Catholic School. The gunman fired over 100 rounds, leaving 116 rifle casings, three shotgun shells, and one live pistol round at the scene. The two children who died were named Harper Moyski, 10, and Fletcher Merkel, 8.
The Minneapolis police chief, Brian O’Hara, described the attack as “sheer cruelty and cowardice”. Minneapolis mayor Jacob Fey criticised those offering only “thoughts and prayers”, pointing out that the children were killed while attending Mass. The remarks sparked a political row between Democrats and Republicans over the appropriateness of public prayers following such tragedies.
++ Climate change could erode sharks’ most lethal weapons
O’Donnell, 63, moved to Dublin, Ireland, in January, citing the political climate in the United States. She said the decision was personal as well as political, stating: “We needed to take care of ourselves and make some hard decisions and follow through.” The comedian emphasised that her earlier statement had been an emotional error, not reflecting the facts of the attack.
