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| FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime | FBI investigates Minneapolis school shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Watch: How the Catholic school shooting unfolded in Minneapolis | Watch: How the Catholic school shooting unfolded in Minneapolis |
| A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says. | A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says. |
| "The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. | "The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X. |
| The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass. | The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass. |
| The attacker, who died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman. | The attacker, who died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman. |
| Authorities have not yet released a suspected motive for the attack. | |
| A constant stream of mourners arrived at the scene on Wednesday night, some leaving flowers. | |
| There was a sense of shock and anger that this had happened at the start of a church Mass ushering in the new school term. | |
| Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, was among those who paid tribute to the young victims, saying he was "profoundly saddened" by the attack. | Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, was among those who paid tribute to the young victims, saying he was "profoundly saddened" by the attack. |
| Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters: "This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping." | Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters: "This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping." |
| "The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible," he said. | "The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible," he said. |
| What we know about the shooting | What we know about the shooting |
| Police began receiving calls of a shooting just before 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday. | Police began receiving calls of a shooting just before 08:00 local time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday. |
| The attacker approached the side of the church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms - a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene. | The attacker approached the side of the church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms - a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene. |
| Officials are investigating if the suspect shot inside the building or if all the shots came from outside the church, noting that no casings from bullets were found inside. | Officials are investigating if the suspect shot inside the building or if all the shots came from outside the church, noting that no casings from bullets were found inside. |
| One neighbour, Patrick Scallen, told the BBC he ran towards the shooting after hearing the gunfire and saw three children fleeing the church, one of them a girl with a head wound. | |
| "She kept saying 'Please hold my hand, don't leave me' and I said I wasn't going anywhere." | |
| Watch: Fifth grader recounts friend protecting him from gunfire during shooting | |
| A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told CBS affiliate WCCO that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him. | A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told CBS affiliate WCCO that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him. |
| "I was like two seats away from the stained glass window," he said. "My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit." | "I was like two seats away from the stained glass window," he said. "My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit." |
| "My friend got hit in the back, he went to the hospital... I was super scared for him but I think now he's okay," he said. | "My friend got hit in the back, he went to the hospital... I was super scared for him but I think now he's okay," he said. |
| The Annunciation Church, located in a residential area of southern Minneapolis, teaches students aged between 5 and 14. | The Annunciation Church, located in a residential area of southern Minneapolis, teaches students aged between 5 and 14. |
| The attacker's mother, Mary Grace Westman, previously worked at the school, according to a school newsletter from 2016. A post on Facebook says she retired from the role in 2021. | The attacker's mother, Mary Grace Westman, previously worked at the school, according to a school newsletter from 2016. A post on Facebook says she retired from the role in 2021. |
| Police found a note that Westman scheduled to publish online at the time of the shooting. Investigators have since deleted the post. | Police found a note that Westman scheduled to publish online at the time of the shooting. Investigators have since deleted the post. |
| Westman's name was legally changed from Robert to Robin in 2020, Minnesota court records show. In the application the judge wrote: "Minor child identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification." | Westman's name was legally changed from Robert to Robin in 2020, Minnesota court records show. In the application the judge wrote: "Minor child identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification." |
| Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against hatred directed towards the transgender community in the wake of the attack. | Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed back against hatred directed towards the transgender community in the wake of the attack. |
| In their own updates, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Westman was a "man, claiming to be transgender", and in his post on X, Patel referred to Westman as "a male". | In their own updates, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Westman was a "man, claiming to be transgender", and in his post on X, Patel referred to Westman as "a male". |
| Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said President Donald Trump and his team had expressed their "deep condolences" and offered assistance. | Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said President Donald Trump and his team had expressed their "deep condolences" and offered assistance. |
| He said the situation was "all too common - not just in Minnesota, but across the country", adding that he hoped no community or school ever had to go through a day like this. | He said the situation was "all too common - not just in Minnesota, but across the country", adding that he hoped no community or school ever had to go through a day like this. |
| Trump later said the US flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House as a show of respect to the victims. | Trump later said the US flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House as a show of respect to the victims. |