Gun Rights Activist Brandon Herrera Condemns Minneapolis Church Shooting, Cooperates with Authorities

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 27, 2025 - Brandon Herrera, the Texas-based Second Amendment activist and YouTuber known online as “The AK Guy,” issued a forceful condemnation today after being named in a disturbing video allegedly produced by the prime suspect in Wednesday’s mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

Herrera, who is also a Republican candidate for Texas’s 23rd Congressional District, responded in a statement distributed by his campaign: “I’m horrified by this clearly hate-motivated attack on innocent children and disgusted that my name came out of this demon’s mouth.” He added that he “doesn’t remember this individual at all” despite having met thousands of people each year at the SHOT Show trade event.

In addition to offering full cooperation to the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, Herrera said he is “coordinating with friends in law enforcement to see how my community and I can best support those families affected by this hateful and senseless act”.

On social media, Herrera posted a defiant message aimed at the shooter: “My heart goes out to the family of those affected, but to the shooter, I have one thing to say in response. F*** you. Burn in hell.” He also pledged never to utter the suspect’s name again.

Authorities confirmed that the suspected gunman, identified as Robin Westman (also known as Robert Westman), killed two children and wounded 17 others during the morning Mass before apparently turning the weapon on himself. Investigators are reviewing the deleted YouTube video, which showed weapons emblazoned with messages and a manifesto purporting to praise Herrera and urging viewers to “vote for Brandon Herrera for president”.

SHOT Show organizers told Fox News Digital that the suspect’s name did not appear on any attendee registration lists for the 2024 event. Minneapolis police continue to probe the shooter’s motivations and possible connections to extremist content.