Minneapolis shooter fired 116 rifle rounds at children attending Catholic mass, police chief says

The transgender shooter who opened fire through the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis fired 116 rifle rounds at children who he wanted to "watch suffer," authorities said Thursday. 

The shooting took place on Wednesday when students from the church's school were attending mass. Two children were killed, and 18 other people were injured, including 15 children.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said during a press conference that investigators recovered 116 rifle rounds and one bullet from a live handgun “that appears to have malfunctioned and got stuck in the chamber” of his weapon, according to the New York Post.

Acting US Attorney for the District of Minnesota, Joe Thompson, said the shooter, Robin Westman, targeted children he “wanted to watch suffer.”

“More than anything, the shooter wanted to kill children," Thompson said. "Defenseless children."

Authorities added that Westman had a "derganged fascination" with previous mass shooters and Thompson said he had left behind "hundreds of pages of writing" that expressed hate toward “almost every group imaginable.” Thompson said "he appeared to hate all of us," according to CNN.

The investigation is still ongoing to find out more information on Westman.