Actress and left-wing activist Rosie O’Donnell has issued a public apology after wrongly claiming the perpetrator in the recent Annunciation Catholic School mass shooting was a “Republican MAGA person.”
In a TikTok video posted to her account after returning from several days offline, O’Donnell acknowledged that she had made an emotionally charged — and factually incorrect — statement without verifying key details.
“I did not do my due diligence before I made that emotional statement,” O’Donnell said. “I assumed, like most shooters, they followed a standard MO and had standard, 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.”
The shooter, 22-year-old Robin Westman, formerly known as Robert Westman, had identified as female and had no public record of affiliation with the NRA or Republican politics. The shooting left two children — aged 8 and 10 — dead, and at least 18 others injured when the assailant fired through the stained-glass windows of the church during a school Mass in Minneapolis.
Apology Still Leans on Partisan Stereotyping
While O’Donnell’s apology was framed as an admission of fault, critics noted that even in her walk-back, she continued to repeat a commonly held but misleading stereotype: that mass shooters are mostly white, male, right-leaning gun owners.
“I assumed, like most shooters,” she said, “they followed a standard MO… NRA-loving kind of gun people.”
Critics argue it reinforces a factually incorrect narrative — one that unfairly paints millions of law-abiding gun owners and Republican voters as the typical face of mass violence
A Walk-Back After Viral Accusations
Before her apology, O’Donnell had posted a video in which she emotionally alleged that the shooter was “a white guy, Republican, MAGA person,” adding that “the NRA is a terrorist organization” and blaming conservative institutions like The Heritage Foundation for creating “a culture of guns over kids.”
The clip spread rapidly on social media, sparking backlash from conservatives and even some moderates who accused the actress of exploiting a tragedy to score political points — without evidence.
O’Donnell has since deleted the original video and pinned the apology on her social media accounts. The apology included the hashtag #UniteAmerica and a direct message: “My apologies to MAGA for saying the school shooter was one of u – that is incorrect – I made a mistake – I didn’t research – I’m sorry – I assumed and that’s always wrong.”
While some viewers praised her willingness to admit fault, others said her apology still fell short of accountability.
Tragedy in Minneapolis
The Annunciation Catholic School shooting has rocked the Twin Cities community and reignited the national debate over gun violence, mental health, and the politicization of mass shootings.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the gunman fired into the church through windows while children were gathered for a Mass. Officials have said they are investigating Westman’s background, including social media history and mental health records.
A Lesson in Assumptions?
The backlash against O’Donnell — and her rare on-camera mea culpa — highlights a growing frustration among Americans with the politicization of tragedies before facts are fully known, or even after the fact. While O’Donnell’s willingness to walk back her comments may stand out in an era of digital outrage and partisan tribalism, her original remarks should be a cautionary tale.
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Most mass shooters are Rosie’s “kind of people”.
She’s not an American anymore; she should keep her mouth shut.
There must be one little corner of Rosie’s brain that isn’t clouded by hate. Most liberals don’t apologize for the misinformation they have spewed they just go on to their next lie. Maybe there is hope for Rosie yet.
Tell Rosie to stay in her country of choice and stay out of the business of The United States. She made her choice and we don’t want her back.