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| 'My friend got hit in the back': Witnesses describe Minneapolis Catholic school shooting | 'My friend got hit in the back': Witnesses describe Minneapolis Catholic school shooting |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US state of Minneapolis have described the "terrifying" scenes after an attacker opened fire on a church in which children were celebrating Mass on Wednesday morning. | Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US state of Minneapolis have described the "terrifying" scenes after an attacker opened fire on a church in which children were celebrating Mass on Wednesday morning. |
| One young boy described being protected by a friend who got hit himself. | One young boy described being protected by a friend who got hit himself. |
| Two children were killed and 17 others injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. | Two children were killed and 17 others injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. |
| The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet given a suspected motive. | The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet given a suspected motive. |
| Full story: FBI investigates shooting as anti-Catholic hate crime | |
| What we know about the attack so far | |
| Westman was a former pupil of the school that is adjacent to the church, CNN reported. The attacker's mother previously worked at the establishment, according to a school newsletter from 2016. | Westman was a former pupil of the school that is adjacent to the church, CNN reported. The attacker's mother previously worked at the establishment, according to a school newsletter from 2016. |
| The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, explained to CBS affiliate station WCCO that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him. | The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, explained to CBS affiliate station 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." |
| He continued: "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 continued: "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." |
| Weston said he and his classmates were well-drilled in what to do in a shooting situation - but not in the environment in which they found themselves. "We practise it every month, but not in church, only in the school," he said. | Weston said he and his classmates were well-drilled in what to do in a shooting situation - but not in the environment in which they found themselves. "We practise it every month, but not in church, only in the school," he said. |
| Ten-year-old Weston Halsne said his friend was hit while protecting him | |
| The suspect Westman is believed to have approached the side of the Annunciation Church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms. Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene. | The suspect Westman is believed to have approached the side of the Annunciation Church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms. Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene. |
| Officials are investigating whether the shots were fired from inside the building or outside it, noting that no casings from bullets were found inside. | Officials are investigating whether the shots were fired from inside the building or outside it, noting that no casings from bullets were found inside. |
| Locals described their confusion when they heard the shots ring out. One man, Mike Garrity, told NBC News that he believed it was the sound of a nail gun at a nearby construction site. | Locals described their confusion when they heard the shots ring out. One man, Mike Garrity, told NBC News that he believed it was the sound of a nail gun at a nearby construction site. |
| Bill Bienemann, who lives two blocks away, spoke to reporters near the scene and recalled the moment: "I said there's no way that could be gunfire because there's so much of it." | Bill Bienemann, who lives two blocks away, spoke to reporters near the scene and recalled the moment: "I said there's no way that could be gunfire because there's so much of it." |
| Another local resident, PJ Mudd, who was working from home on Wednesday morning, told the Wall Street Journal he heard three booms. "It suddenly dawned on me - it was a shooting." | Another local resident, PJ Mudd, who was working from home on Wednesday morning, told the Wall Street Journal he heard three booms. "It suddenly dawned on me - it was a shooting." |
| Mr Mudd then ran to the church, where he saw three magazine cartridges on the ground. | Mr Mudd then ran to the church, where he saw three magazine cartridges on the ground. |
| Watch: Minneapolis residents react to Catholic school shooting | Watch: Minneapolis residents react to Catholic school shooting |
| Witnesses including Mr Garrity also described the horrifying spectacle of children emerging from the church covered in blood. | Witnesses including Mr Garrity also described the horrifying spectacle of children emerging from the church covered in blood. |
| Another neighbour, Patrick Scallen, told the BBC that he saw three children fleeing the building - one of them a girl with a head wound. | Another neighbour, Patrick Scallen, told the BBC that he saw three children fleeing the building - 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." | "She kept saying, 'please hold my hand, don't leave me', and I said I wasn't going anywhere." |
| A nanny who works nearby said she was relieved to see some children leaving the building unharmed, but was disturbed by "the looks on their faces alone". | A nanny who works nearby said she was relieved to see some children leaving the building unharmed, but was disturbed by "the looks on their faces alone". |
| "You see videos online, but it does not compare to seeing it and witnessing it in person," Madee Brandt told NBC. "That was rough... it is terrifying." | "You see videos online, but it does not compare to seeing it and witnessing it in person," Madee Brandt told NBC. "That was rough... it is terrifying." |
| Hundreds of people attended a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening at another nearby school. | Hundreds of people attended a vigil for the victims on Wednesday evening at another nearby school. |
| Those who were injured in the shooting are expected to recover, and some have already been released from hospital. | Those who were injured in the shooting are expected to recover, and some have already been released from hospital. |
| One mother told CNN that she was relieved her children were not hurt in the incident, but that she had "such mixed feelings right now". | One mother told CNN that she was relieved her children were not hurt in the incident, but that she had "such mixed feelings right now". |
| Carla Maldonado spoke of being "incredibly sad and angry that this has to be a thing in any school". She went on to say: "The lives that were lost [are] too much. One is too much. It's not okay." | Carla Maldonado spoke of being "incredibly sad and angry that this has to be a thing in any school". She went on to say: "The lives that were lost [are] too much. One is too much. It's not okay." |
| Minnesota Governor Tim Walz offered a similar sentiment, saying the situation was "all too common - not just in Minnesota, but across the country". | Minnesota Governor Tim Walz offered a similar sentiment, saying the situation was "all too common - not just in Minnesota, but across the country". |
| Walz said US President Donald Trump and his team had expressed their "deep condolences" and offered assistance. | Walz said US President Donald Trump and his team had expressed their "deep condolences" and offered assistance. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| Giving updates in a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the attacker did not have an "extensive known criminal history", and acted alone. | Giving updates in a press conference on Wednesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the attacker did not have an "extensive known criminal history", and acted alone. |
| Police say they found a "manifesto" that Westman timed to publish on YouTube at the time of the shooting. The FBI assisted officials and took it down. | Police say they found a "manifesto" that Westman timed to publish on YouTube at the time of the shooting. The FBI assisted officials and took it down. |
| 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." |