A community in southern Minneapolis is reeling after a gunman opened fire during a morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday, killing two children and injuring 17 others before turning the gun on himself.
Police identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a resident of suburban Minneapolis. Authorities said Westman, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, began firing through church windows before entering the sanctuary, where students and staff were attending their weekly all-school Mass.
By the time police arrived, the church doors had been barricaded. Officers say Westman fired dozens of rounds before committing suicide.
“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said. “It is incomprehensible.”
Children Targeted in Attack
Among the dead were an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old child, officials confirmed. Fourteen of the 17 wounded were also children.
The chief of emergency medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center said 11 people were admitted there, including seven in critical condition. Four children required emergency surgery.
Additional victims were transported to Children’s Minnesota pediatric hospital and M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. Their conditions were not immediately released.
The attack unfolded in the midst of the school’s first-week Mass, normally a moment of joy and routine. Instead, it turned into terror.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at an afternoon press conference. “These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”
Witnesses Describe Chaos
A man who lived two blocks from the church reported hearing between 30 and 50 shots.
“There was so much of it,” Bill Bienemann said. “It was sporadic … certainly didn’t sound like a handgun, it seemed like a rifle. He must’ve reloaded several times for sure.”
Inside, children dove under pews. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), whose longtime staff member has children enrolled at the school, said in a televised interview that some students watched their friends get shot.
“These kids are doing an all-school Mass and had to watch several of her friends get shot — one in the back, one in the neck,” Klobuchar said. “They all got down under the pews … her daughter ended up being the one to tell one of the dads that his daughter had been shot.”
The Suspect
Westman, who police say had no known criminal history, grew up in the Minneapolis area. Court records show that in 2020, Westman legally changed his name from Robert to Robin at age 17.
Law enforcement sources told local outlet KARE that Westman’s mother previously worked at Annunciation School before retiring in 2021.
Investigators are now examining whether a video posted online hours before the shooting may provide insight into the motive. The video, reportedly uploaded under Westman’s name, included disturbing writings on ammunition magazines with political and antisemitic slogans such as “Kill Donald Trump,” “Israel Must Fall,” and “6 Million Wasn’t Enough.”
Chief O’Hara said detectives are combing through the suspect’s digital footprint, vehicle, and belongings to determine intent. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the attack as a possible case of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
A City Already on Edge
The tragedy struck just a day after another mass shooting rocked Minneapolis. On Tuesday afternoon, a gunman opened fire with a high-velocity rifle at a group near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, killing one person and injuring six. That shooter remains at large.
Later that same day, two more fatal shootings occurred in the city — one leaving a man in his 20s dead about a mile from the first shooting, and another at 2:10 a.m. Wednesday that killed one man and wounded another.
“This level of firepower unleashed in broad daylight is completely sickening and unacceptable,” O’Hara said of the earlier attack. Police said there was no evidence linking the school shooting to the other incidents.
Still, residents expressed fear and exhaustion at the unrelenting violence. Minneapolis has endured a sharp rise in gun crime in recent years, with city leaders acknowledging public frustration and the urgent need for solutions.
Leaders Respond
Governor Tim Walz called the school shooting “a horrific act of violence” and pledged state resources to assist victims and families.
“I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence,” Walz said.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” adding: “The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved.”
Mayor Frey, visibly emotional, underscored the sense of devastation. “These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace, without the fear or risk of violence.”
Community in Mourning
The Annunciation Catholic School serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade. Its church sits at the center of the campus, a hub of worship and learning for generations of Minneapolis families.
Neighbors gathered outside the school grounds on Wednesday afternoon, many clutching rosaries and candles. Parents rushed to reunite with their children, while grief counselors and clergy were dispatched to provide support.
At local hospitals, blood donors lined up in response to calls for emergency supplies. “We’re heartbroken, but we’re here to help in any way,” said one nurse at HCMC.
Still Seeking Answers
As of late Wednesday, police said they had not determined why Westman targeted Annunciation Catholic School. Officials did confirm that Westman acted alone.
Authorities stressed that the investigation is in its earliest stages. Agents from the ATF are tracing the weapons, while forensic teams analyze the suspect’s electronics and personal records.
Chief O’Hara promised transparency. “We owe it to these families, to this community, and to every parent who sends their child to school each morning to fully uncover what happened here and why.”
A City Grieves
Outside Annunciation, the church bells tolled at dusk. Families gathered for an impromptu vigil, candles flickering in the warm evening air. Children clung to their parents, some too young to fully understand what had happened, others visibly shaken by memories that will last a lifetime.
