Fox News presenter Jesse Watters’ comments on Minneapolis school shooting spark debate
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A mass shooting at a Catholic grammar school in Minneapolis has left two children dead and 17 others injured, prompting grief, investigation, and political debate.
Authorities identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman.
Westman was reportedly armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. The FBI confirmed it is investigating the incident as a potential hate crime targeting Catholics.
The attack has reignited national discussions on gun violence, mental health, and political polarization. During a segment on Jesse Watters Primetime, Fox News host Jesse Watters linked the shooting to what he called a “trans violence epidemic.”
He said: “Statistically, the trans population has been prone to violence. That’s not villainizing. That’s reality.”
Watters also criticized gender-affirming health care for minors, adding: “We don’t want to give them hormones and operate on them. Society shouldn’t be trying to produce more trans kids.”
🚨 WOW! Jesse Waters just CALLED OUT the trans vioIence epidemic
"The left WEAPONIZES trans kids, turning them into culture warriors, and they've been turned loose against the Church, schools and Trump. You see it, I see it."
"Statistically, the trans population has been prone… pic.twitter.com/TwSOKF7jEnWatters’ comments have drawn sharp responses. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged restraint, saying: “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community or any other community out there has lost their sense of common humanity.”
Civil rights organizations and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups condemned the framing, warning that attributing acts of violence to an entire community could increase stigma.
Researchers emphasize that transgender individuals are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. Officials have not released a confirmed motive in the Minneapolis case, and the investigation remains ongoing.