Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting: Two Children Dead, Seventeen Injured in Targeted Attack
MINNEAPOLIS — The first week of school turned to horror on Wednesday morning when gunfire erupted during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in south Minneapolis. Two children, ages eight and ten, were killed. Seventeen others, fourteen children and three elderly parishioners, were wounded before the shooter died by suicide in the church parking lot. The school, founded in 1923, has long been a cornerstone of the community, serving students from pre-K through eighth grade and recognized as an International Baccalaureate World School. Now, it joins the devastating roster of American schools marked by mass violence.
The Attack
The shooting began shortly after 8:30 a.m. as students and parishioners filled the pews for the first all-school Mass of the year. Witnesses say the shooter opened fire from outside the church, using a rifle to blast through stained-glass windows. Investigators confirmed that additional shots were fired with both a shotgun and a pistol. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the chaos in blunt terms.
“The sheer cruelty and cowardice, firing into a church full of children, is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said during an afternoon press conference.
By the time officers breached the area, the gunfire had stopped. The shooter later identified as 23-year-old Robin M. Westman had turned a weapon on themselves near the side of the building.
Victims and Response
The violence left two students dead where they sat. Seventeen others were injured, including fourteen children between the ages of six and fifteen and three parishioners in their 80s. Dr. Thomas Wyatt, chair of emergency medicine at Hennepin Healthcare, confirmed that several victims underwent emergency surgeries and that all of the injured are expected to survive.
“We are treating injuries ranging from gunshot wounds to shrapnel lacerations,” Wyatt said. “Our staff acted quickly, and the response from first responders saved lives.”
Children’s Minnesota, the pediatric trauma hospital in the Twin Cities, reported treating seven children, ages nine to sixteen.
Shooter Profile and Digital Evidence
Authorities confirmed that Westman legally purchased all three firearms used in the attack and had no prior criminal history. Federal investigators revealed that Westman left behind multiple videos scheduled for release during the shooting. The clips, since removed from YouTube, show the shooter displaying weapons marked with disturbing slogans, including “Kill Donald Trump” and antisemitic messages. One video included a hand-drawn map of the church, where the shooter used a knife to stab at two windows, the same windows shattered during the attack. The FBI confirmed the incident is being investigated as both domestic terrorism and an anti-Catholic hate crime.
Voices from the Community
For families and survivors, the trauma is raw and ongoing. Vincent Francoual, father of an 11-year-old student, said his daughter Chloe escaped by hiding in a locked room.
“She told us today that she thought she was going to die,” Francoual said. “She feels guilty because she ran and left a classmate behind. Other kids told us they had to step over bodies to get out.”
Ten-year-old Weston Halsne was grazed by a bullet as he sat near a window. His grandfather, Michael Simpson, said the child keeps asking why it happened.
“I don’t know where He is,” Simpson said, voice shaking. “How do you explain this to a child?”
Political and Religious Leaders Respond
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed outrage and grief during a press briefing.
“Minnesotans will not step away. It’s my strongest desire that no state, no community, no school ever experiences a day like this,” Walz said.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was visibly emotional.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” Frey said. “These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”
Archbishop Bernard Hebda released a statement mourning the loss.
“My heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy, and parishioners and the horror they witnessed in a church, a place where we should feel safe,” Hebda said.
Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, called the shooting a “terrible tragedy” and sent condolences to the families of the victims, urging the community to “find strength in faith and in one another.”
A Call for Action
The Annunciation shooting is part of a relentless pattern of gun violence in America this one targeting children in a sanctuary. The shooter’s digital footprint shows clear planning and a desire to amplify hate. What remains is the same question Minneapolis, and the nation must answer: Will outrage finally turn into reform? As Governor Walz said plainly, “It’s Minnesota’s day today.” But unless change follows, tomorrow will belong to another community, grieving the same senseless violence.
Sources
Associated Press report on the attack and casualty details. opb
Reuters briefing with Police Chief O’Hara’s quote and injury update. Reuters
PBS NewsHour live briefing with timeline and police updates. PBS
ABC News roundup confirming suspect identity and FBI terrorism/hate-crime probe. ABC News
Star Tribune local desk: “What we know” on suspect and victims. Star Tribune
KARE 11 identification of the suspect. KARE 11
WCCO/CNN (via WCAX) on Mayor Frey’s “thoughts and prayers” remarks. https://www.wcax.com
Office of the Governor: state flags at half-staff order. mn.gov // Minnesota’s State Portal
Vatican News on papal condolences. Vatican News
Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis: Archbishop Hebda’s statement. Archdiocese of St. Paul & Minneapolis
