The mother of the shooter who opened fire Wednesday on a Minneapolis Catholic school during morning Mass has hired a criminal defense attorney, as police said Friday there "has been conversation" with her.
In a news conference Friday, Minneapolis Police Assistant Chief Christopher Gaiters was asked if there's been any contact with the suspect's mother, Mary Grace Westman.
"Through working with our partners, with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension of Minnesota, there has been conversation, and I am not at liberty to go any further than that," he said.
It comes after Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Thursday that police "have not been successful in talking to the shooter's mother yet."
O'Hara had said Thursday that Robin Westman's family has been cooperating with investigators; however, they have not yet located her mother, Mary Grace Westman. Records show that her residence is in Florida.
He said investigators have done dozens of interviews with the shooter’s family, friends and associates, and have talked to the shooter's father.
Mary Grace Westman's attorney, Ryan Garry, told NBC News on Thursday that he had no comment at this time. The FBI and police department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday.
Authorities often seek to speak with the families of mass shooters as they investigate a motive. In one high-profile case following a 2021 shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, the parents of shooter Ethan Crumbley were charged and convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were sentenced in April 2024 to 10 to 15 years in prison. Their son pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison.
Police have not said whether Mary Grace Westman or any family members potentially face charges. O'Hara told reporters on Thursday that the department will continue to try to speak with the shooter's mother.
Wednesday's rampage unfolded just before 8:30 a.m. local time at Annunciation Catholic School after authorities say the 23-year-old fired through the windows of the church. A motive remains unclear.
Two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, were killed. Fifteen other children, ages 6 to 15, were injured, as well as three adult parishioners in their 80s.
As of Thursday morning, two of the victims remained in critical condition, a hospital official said.
The shooter used three different firearms to carry out the attack, according to a news release on Thursday. Police said that 116 rifle casings, three shotgun shell casings and one live pistol round were recovered at the scene.
Video surveillance appears to confirm that the shooter did not enter the church.
"The practice of locking the doors once Mass began likely prevented a worse incident," a police news release said. "At the same time, the suspect attempted to barricade a door from the outside, preventing exit from the church."
The shooter, who was a trans woman, died by suicide after the shooting. Authorities said the shooter had been a student at Annunciation Catholic School, and her mother had once worked there.
Four search warrants have been executed at the church as well as locations in South Minneapolis, Richfield, and St. Louis Park, police said. Investigators said they recovered a Condor tactical vest, two external media storage devices, and miscellaneous documents from the shooter's father's house.
Investigators have gathered hundreds of pieces of evidence, including electronics and writings, police said.
In Friday's news conference, officials announced around-the-clock extra patrols around schools and places of worship in effect through Sept. 5. It comes at a critical time as school for districts in the area start Monday.