Shock and Mourning in Minneapolis: Two Children Dead, 17 Injured in Catholic School Mass Shooting
Minneapolis, August 27, 2025 — A serene morning of prayer at Annunciation Catholic School turned into a scene of horror when a gunman dressed in black opened fire through the stained-glass windows of the church during a school-wide Mass. The attack has left two young children dead and 17 others wounded, shattering a sacred moment and igniting an urgent outcry for peace.
What unfolded:
At approximately 8:30 a.m., during the school’s first Mass of the year, a 23-year-old suspect — later identified as Robin Westman — unleashed violence from outside the church
Two children, aged 8 and 10, were fatally struck right in their pews. The wounded include 14 children and three elderly parishioners, all expected to survive
The suspect died by suicide at the scene, ending the immediate threat
The FBI has launched a swift investigation, treating the massacre as an act of domestic terrorism and an anti-Catholic hate crime
Community reaction:
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the shooting “absolutely incomprehensible,” condemning the targeting of innocent children during a moment of spiritual peace
Governor Tim Walz, President Donald Trump, and other community leaders expressed grief and solidarity across social media and public statements ([Star Tribune & People
Vigils have sprung up citywide, churches have opened for collective mourning, and hospital trauma teams prepared for the influx of survivors.
This tragedy stands as a tragic reminder of fragility and loss—and a call to demand better protection for our children, our places of worship, and our communities.
