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| Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: two children killed and 17 injured | Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: two children killed and 17 injured |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Suspect also dead, police confirm, and 14 of those hurt are children in shooting during mass in south Minneapolis | Suspect also dead, police confirm, and 14 of those hurt are children in shooting during mass in south Minneapolis |
| Shock after shooting: ‘Kids should not be fearing for their lives’ | Shock after shooting: ‘Kids should not be fearing for their lives’ |
| Two children were killed and 17 people injured in a mass shooting on Wednesday at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota that left the community reeling as investigators searched for answers. | Two children were killed and 17 people injured in a mass shooting on Wednesday at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota that left the community reeling as investigators searched for answers. |
| A shooter at the Annunciation Catholic school in south Minneapolis killed two children, ages eight and 10, in church pews during morning mass. Fourteen other children ages six to 15 were also injured, two of them in critical condition, but officials said on Wednesday afternoon they were all expected to survive. The shooter died by suicide. | A shooter at the Annunciation Catholic school in south Minneapolis killed two children, ages eight and 10, in church pews during morning mass. Fourteen other children ages six to 15 were also injured, two of them in critical condition, but officials said on Wednesday afternoon they were all expected to survive. The shooter died by suicide. |
| Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said that the “unthinkable tragedy” took place just before 8.30am during a worship service marking the first week of school. The assailant approached the outside of the building and began firing a rifle into the windows toward the children sitting in the pews. The shooter struck both children and worshippers with various weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. | Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said that the “unthinkable tragedy” took place just before 8.30am during a worship service marking the first week of school. The assailant approached the outside of the building and began firing a rifle into the windows toward the children sitting in the pews. The shooter struck both children and worshippers with various weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. |
| Dozens of children were at the mass at the time and the attacker fatally shot themself behind the church, O’Hara said. | Dozens of children were at the mass at the time and the attacker fatally shot themself behind the church, O’Hara said. |
| “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said. | “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said. |
| The three injured adults were parishioners in their 80s, officials said. | The three injured adults were parishioners in their 80s, officials said. |
| Local news, Kare 11, confirmed the shooter’s name was Robin Westman, 23. Westman grew up in Richfield, and Westman’s mother worked at Annunciation school in some capacity. Westman applied in Dakota county to change their birth name from Robert to Robin because they identified as a woman, according to court documents obtained by the Guardian. That request was granted in January 2020. | Local news, Kare 11, confirmed the shooter’s name was Robin Westman, 23. Westman grew up in Richfield, and Westman’s mother worked at Annunciation school in some capacity. Westman applied in Dakota county to change their birth name from Robert to Robin because they identified as a woman, according to court documents obtained by the Guardian. That request was granted in January 2020. |
| A rifle, a shotgun and a pistol all had been lawfully purchased by the shooter recently, O’Hara said, adding it was believed the shooter acted alone. | A rifle, a shotgun and a pistol all had been lawfully purchased by the shooter recently, O’Hara said, adding it was believed the shooter acted alone. |
| O’Hara also said the shooter had scheduled a manifesto to be released on YouTube. The police said it “appeared to show him at the scene and included some disturbing writings”. The content has been taken down with the assistance of the FBI, he added. | O’Hara also said the shooter had scheduled a manifesto to be released on YouTube. The police said it “appeared to show him at the scene and included some disturbing writings”. The content has been taken down with the assistance of the FBI, he added. |
| The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as “an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics”. | The FBI said it was investigating the shooting as “an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics”. |
| Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, who has led Minneapolis since 2018, said at the briefing: “Children are dead. There are families that have a deceased child … Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.” | Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, who has led Minneapolis since 2018, said at the briefing: “Children are dead. There are families that have a deceased child … Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.” |
| In the afternoon, Frey added: “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community has lost their sense of common humanity,” he said. “We should not be operating from a place of hate for anyone. We should be operating from a place of love for our kids. This is about them.” | In the afternoon, Frey added: “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community has lost their sense of common humanity,” he said. “We should not be operating from a place of hate for anyone. We should be operating from a place of love for our kids. This is about them.” |
| Dr Thomas Wyatt, Hennepin county medical center’s chair of emergency medicine, said the hospital had received 11 patients and four required the operating room. | Dr Thomas Wyatt, Hennepin county medical center’s chair of emergency medicine, said the hospital had received 11 patients and four required the operating room. |
| Children’s Minnesota hospital told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it had five children “admitted to our hospital for care” and “will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families”. | Children’s Minnesota hospital told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it had five children “admitted to our hospital for care” and “will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families”. |
| Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, posted: “Minnesota is heartbroken. From the officers responding, to the clergy and teachers providing comfort, to the hospital staff saving lives, we will get through this together. Hug your kids close.” | Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, posted: “Minnesota is heartbroken. From the officers responding, to the clergy and teachers providing comfort, to the hospital staff saving lives, we will get through this together. Hug your kids close.” |
| Donald Trump also said on Truth Social on Wednesday morning that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting” and that the “White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” | Donald Trump also said on Truth Social on Wednesday morning that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting” and that the “White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” |
| The FBI director, Kash Patel, released a statement on social media, writing: “FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.” | The FBI director, Kash Patel, released a statement on social media, writing: “FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.” |
| Westman’s uncle, former Kentucky state lawmaker Bob Heleringer, told the Associated Press that he did not know Westman well, but called the violence “an unspeakable tragedy”. | Westman’s uncle, former Kentucky state lawmaker Bob Heleringer, told the Associated Press that he did not know Westman well, but called the violence “an unspeakable tragedy”. |
| “We’re praying for my sister and her other children and also, obviously, for these poor, poor children,” Heleringer said, before noting he last saw Westman at a family wedding three or four years ago. | “We’re praying for my sister and her other children and also, obviously, for these poor, poor children,” Heleringer said, before noting he last saw Westman at a family wedding three or four years ago. |
| Parents and youth gave harrowing accounts of how the shooting unfolded. | Parents and youth gave harrowing accounts of how the shooting unfolded. |
| Renee Lego, an Annunciation parishioner who has a fifth-grader and an eighth-grader at the school, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that her older son thought the gunshots were “fireworks or a gas explosion” before he saw people falling. | Renee Lego, an Annunciation parishioner who has a fifth-grader and an eighth-grader at the school, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that her older son thought the gunshots were “fireworks or a gas explosion” before he saw people falling. |
| “Both my kids have blood on them,” she said. “It’s just horrific – so cowardly. This person knew this was our first all-school mass of the year. It was obviously planned. This is the children’s mass, not an advertised mass for the public.” | “Both my kids have blood on them,” she said. “It’s just horrific – so cowardly. This person knew this was our first all-school mass of the year. It was obviously planned. This is the children’s mass, not an advertised mass for the public.” |
| Michael Simpson told the Associated Press that his grandson, Weston Halsne, 10, was “nicked by a bullet as he sat by the church windows”. Simpson said the violence made him wonder whether God had been watching over him. | Michael Simpson told the Associated Press that his grandson, Weston Halsne, 10, was “nicked by a bullet as he sat by the church windows”. Simpson said the violence made him wonder whether God had been watching over him. |
| “I don’t know where He is,” he said. “It’s just really hard for me to take in.” | “I don’t know where He is,” he said. “It’s just really hard for me to take in.” |
| Weston Halsne later spoke on CNN about what he witnessed. “They shot through the stained glass windows, I think. It was really scary.” he said. “We waited like, 10 to five minutes, I don’t really know, and then we went to the gym, and then the doors locked, just to make sure he didn’t come in.” | Weston Halsne later spoke on CNN about what he witnessed. “They shot through the stained glass windows, I think. It was really scary.” he said. “We waited like, 10 to five minutes, I don’t really know, and then we went to the gym, and then the doors locked, just to make sure he didn’t come in.” |
| He added: “My friend got hit in the back. He went to the hospital. I was super scared for him, but I think now he’s OK.” | He added: “My friend got hit in the back. He went to the hospital. I was super scared for him, but I think now he’s OK.” |
| Vincent Francoual, 57, told the AP that his 11-year-old daughter, Chloe, ran downstairs and hid in a room with a table blocking the door. | Vincent Francoual, 57, told the AP that his 11-year-old daughter, Chloe, ran downstairs and hid in a room with a table blocking the door. |
| “She told us today that she thought she was going to die,” he said, adding that she was struggling to communicate what happened and he wasn’t sure how exactly she escaped. He said she expressed guilt for leaving a classmate behind as she was running. | “She told us today that she thought she was going to die,” he said, adding that she was struggling to communicate what happened and he wasn’t sure how exactly she escaped. He said she expressed guilt for leaving a classmate behind as she was running. |
| Pope Leo XIV sent his condolences over the shooting via a telegram signed by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, saying he was “profoundly saddened” and sent his condolences “to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child”. | Pope Leo XIV sent his condolences over the shooting via a telegram signed by the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, saying he was “profoundly saddened” and sent his condolences “to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child”. |
| The telegram was addressed to Archbishop Bernard Hebda, the archbishop of St Paul-Minneapolis. Hebda thanked Pope Leo XIV for his prayers as well as the prayers from others around the globe. | The telegram was addressed to Archbishop Bernard Hebda, the archbishop of St Paul-Minneapolis. Hebda thanked Pope Leo XIV for his prayers as well as the prayers from others around the globe. |
| “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,” the archbishop said in a statement. | “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,” the archbishop said in a statement. |
| “We need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” Hebda said. | “We need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” Hebda said. |
| Community members gathered on Wednesday evening for a vigil at a school a few miles away. | Community members gathered on Wednesday evening for a vigil at a school a few miles away. |
| Students at the school, which enrolls children from preschool through eighth grade, had only just returned for their first day back from summer break on Monday. The school’s Facebook page shared images this week of students reuniting and parking their bikes. | Students at the school, which enrolls children from preschool through eighth grade, had only just returned for their first day back from summer break on Monday. The school’s Facebook page shared images this week of students reuniting and parking their bikes. |
| Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth shooting in 24 hours in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the course of Tuesday into Wednesday, three people were shot and killed in three separate incidents. At least eight people also suffered gunshot wounds in those shootings. | Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth shooting in 24 hours in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the course of Tuesday into Wednesday, three people were shot and killed in three separate incidents. At least eight people also suffered gunshot wounds in those shootings. |
| There have been more than 140 shootings reported in elementary and secondary schools in 2025 thus far, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. | There have been more than 140 shootings reported in elementary and secondary schools in 2025 thus far, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. |
| Outside of Minneapolis, there have also been a spate of shooter hoaxes this week. On Monday, six universities had shooter reports and all of them turned out to be unfounded. | Outside of Minneapolis, there have also been a spate of shooter hoaxes this week. On Monday, six universities had shooter reports and all of them turned out to be unfounded. |
| Sam Levin and agencies contributed reporting | Sam Levin and agencies contributed reporting |