A morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School turned tragic on Wednesday when a shooter opened fire, killing two young students and leaving 17 others injured in what Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called an act of “sheer cruelty and cowardice,” Al Jazeera reported.
The victims, just eight and 10 years old, were among dozens of students attending the service when bullets tore through the church windows. Fourteen children were among the wounded, with two fighting for their lives but expected to pull through.
Police identified the shooter as Robin Westman, who fired multiple rounds from outside the church before dying by suicide. Investigators later found several weapons at Westman’s home and other connected properties.
FBI Director Kash Patel is leading a federal investigation into whether the attack constitutes terrorism or a hate crime against Catholics. Local police are also examining disturbing videos posted online by Westman before the shooting.
The tragedy marks the 146th school shooting in the U.S. this year, intensifying calls for stricter gun laws. As the community reels, Mayor Jacob Frey urged residents not to target the transgender community, noting Westman’s gender transition in 2020. Pope Leo XIV expressed deep sorrow over the “terrible tragedy,” while President Donald Trump called it a “terrible situation” and promised federal assistance to the grieving city.
