Comedian and political commentator Rosie O’Donnell faced backlash over the weekend after making inaccurate claims about the identity and motives of the suspected shooter involved in a tragic incident at a Catholic school in Minneapolis.
In an emotional video posted to social media shortly after the news broke, O’Donnell described the shooter as a “white guy, Republican, MAGA person, white supremacist.” These comments were made before law enforcement had publicly confirmed key details about the suspect.
Authorities later identified the shooter as Robert/Robin Westman, who identified as transgender. Among the evidence recovered at the scene was a gun magazine bearing the words “kill Donald Trump,” contradicting the political affiliations initially suggested by O’Donnell.
Following the release of more accurate information, O’Donnell posted a follow-up video acknowledging her mistake.
Rosie O’Donnell apologizes after falsely identifying the Minneapolis Catholic school shooter as a Trump supporter tied to “MAGA.” Misstep sparks outrage.
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“I knew a lot of you were very upset about the video I made before I went away for a few days,” she said. “You are right. I did not do my due diligence before I made that emotional statement, and I said things about the shooter that were incorrect.”
She admitted to making assumptions based on patterns in past incidents and added, “Anyway, the truth is I messed up, and when you mess up, you fess up. I’m sorry. This is my apology video and I hope it’s enough.”
The apology has drawn mixed reactions online, with some commending O’Donnell for taking responsibility, while others criticized her for spreading misinformation in the wake of a tragedy.