On August 27, 2025, tragedy struck Minneapolis when a shooter opened fire during a Mass at Annunciation Catholic School, killing two children and wounding 17 others. The attack, carried out just days into the new school year, has shaken families, faith communities, and city officials as they grapple with another devastating act of school violence.
The shooting unfolded as students, teachers, and parishioners gathered inside the church for the school’s first Mass of the semester. The assailant, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire through the stained-glass windows using multiple firearms, including a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Two students, aged 8 and 10, were pronounced dead at the scene. Fourteen children and three adults were injured, many suffering gunshot wounds, though authorities confirmed all were expected to survive.
Law enforcement officials confirmed that Westman, a former student, had legally obtained the weapons used in the attack. Additional firearms were later recovered from properties connected to the shooter. The attack ended when the gunman took their own life inside the church. Authorities revealed that some of the church doors had been barricaded from the outside, preventing escape and complicating rescue efforts.
In the aftermath, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara condemned the act as one of “sheer cruelty and cowardice,” emphasizing the deliberate targeting of children and worshippers. Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the community’s grief and urged people not to use the attack as a reason to vilify transgender individuals, noting the shooter’s identity history. President Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-staff nationwide to honor the victims.
The FBI has launched an investigation, treating the case as both an act of domestic terrorism and a potential hate crime targeting Catholics. Authorities are reviewing a manifesto and online postings allegedly written by the shooter, which expressed depression, anger, and admiration for previous mass shooters. The material included erratic political statements and threats of violence.
This incident marks the 146th school-related shooting in the United States this year alone, highlighting the persistent epidemic of gun violence in American schools. While new security technologies and protocols have been developed in recent years, this attack underscored the challenges schools face when attackers strike from outside traditional safety perimeters.
The community of Minneapolis is now left to mourn the loss of two young lives and to support the many children and families impacted. Vigils have been held across the city, with parents, educators, and faith leaders calling for renewed focus on school safety, gun reform, and mental health support.
This tragedy, like so many before it, raises urgent questions about how to protect children in schools and places of worship. For now, Minneapolis grieves together, seeking healing and resilience in the face of unimaginable loss.
