During the police's visit, Nephew indicated that he had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, told them that the Russians had control of his mind since he was six years old, and requested that the officer return and kill him and his family if Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election.
[1][3] Prior to the shootings, Nephew had posted left-wing and anti-Trump views on Facebook, writing in July: "My mental health and the world can no longer peacefully coexist, and a lot of the reason is religion."
In another post, Nephew stated "Gilead here we come", referencing The Handmaid's Tale, a novel and television series in which women have been stripped of their rights and are forced to reproduce for the ruling class.
[4] In a March 2021 op-ed for the Duluth News Tribune, Nephew wrote: "Mental health in this country is stigmatized, ignored, or treated as a burden for the individual to bear alone, with little help and less understanding."
[7][8][11] During a press conference held the day after the shootings, the chief stated: "I want to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and victims who were involved in this tragedy yesterday.