The family of a 10-year-old girl killed in a Minneapolis Catholic school shooting plans to sue YouTube, alleging the platform failed to act on alarming videos posted by the transgender mass shooter. The family's attorneys contend that if YouTube had flagged the content, which included violent manifestos and glorification of firearms and racism, the tragedy could have been prevented.
Harper Moyski was among two children killed when Robin Westman, 23, opened fire at the Annunciation School and Church in August 2025. The shooter, who was born male and later identified as female, also injured 27 people before dying by suicide. The lawsuit is also expected to name Facepunch Studios, the developer of the video game Garry's Mod, for allegedly allowing Westman to discuss violence with other players online.
Attorneys Bakari Sellers and Greg Francis stated that Westman posted disturbing videos, including a detailed manifesto with diagrams of the church, hours before the attack. These posts were authenticated by police. "There are safety protocols that should've been in place," Francis said, expressing the family's belief that YouTube could have intervened.
One 20-minute video reportedly shows Westman flipping through his manifesto, fantasizing about harming children and expressing admiration for past mass shootings. Entries also revealed antisemitic and racist sentiments. Westman reportedly applied to change his name from Robert to Robin at age 17, stating he identified as female. The name change was granted in 2020.
Westman targeted the Annunciation Catholic School, where he was a former student, during a back-to-school Mass. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the timing of Westman's online posts before the massacre. Neither Google, YouTube's parent company, nor Facepunch Studios immediately responded to requests for comment.