A shooter killed two youngsters and injured 17 others when he opened hearth throughout Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic college on Aug. 27, officers stated.
The shooter, Robert “Robin” Westman, who legislation enforcement stated is a person in his early 20s, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound moments later. Fourteen of the 17 folks injured have been youngsters, police stated, two of whom are in crucial situation.
Here’s what we all know thus far.
Shooter Opened Fireplace within the Center of Mass
The taking pictures occurred throughout Mass at Annunciation Catholic Faculty in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, two days after the primary day of sophistication of the brand new college 12 months.
“This was a deliberate act of violence towards harmless youngsters and different folks worshipping,“ Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated at a information convention. ”The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing right into a church full of kids is totally incomprehensible.”
Authorities evacuated the varsity, and college students’ households have been directed to a “reunification zone.”
“Don’t simply say that is about ideas and prayers proper now,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated on the information convention with O’Hara. “These youngsters have been actually praying. It was the primary week of faculty. They have been in a church.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz known as the taking pictures a “horrific act of violence” in a post on X.
“From the officers responding, to the clergy and lecturers offering consolation, to the hospital employees saving lives, we’ll get via this collectively,” he wrote in one other post.
Victims Largely Kids
Officers stated the 2 youngsters killed have been 8 and 10 and have been fatally shot whereas within the church pews celebrating a Mass through the first week of faculty. It’s not clear how many individuals have been current within the church when the taking pictures occurred, and authorities haven’t launched the identities of the victims.
Police have heard estimates on the precise quantity of people that have been within the church on the time, however will launch a extra definitive quantity when it’s decided, O’Hara stated.
Hennepin Healthcare’s chair of emergency medication, Thomas Wyatt, stated the hospital handled 10 sufferers after the taking pictures, together with eight youngsters ages 6 via 14 and two adults.
Seven youngsters ages 9 via 16 have been additionally admitted to Kids’s Minnesota, a trauma middle devoted to pediatric care, the ability stated in an announcement.
O’Hara stated the entire wounded are anticipated to outlive from their “vary of accidents,” and that the kids have been reunited with their households.
Shooter Recognized
The shooter was Robert “Robin” Westman, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. Westman was armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol and approached the facet of the church earlier than taking pictures via the home windows towards the kids inside, O’Hara stated.
Authorities consider that Westman fired all or a lot of the pictures from exterior the church earlier than killing himself within the parking zone.
Westman recognized as transgender, Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X.
He allegedly wrote the phrases “For the Kids,” “The place is your God?”, and “Kill Donald Trump” on a rifle journal, Noem stated.
Officers didn’t say whether or not Westman had any identified connections to the varsity. Potential motives are nonetheless beneath investigation, however officers stated he doesn’t have an intensive identified legal historical past and certain acted alone.
Patel stated the FBI is investigating the taking pictures as an “act of home terrorism and hate crime focusing on Catholics.”
O’Hara stated Minneapolis police don’t but have a “motive or something to counsel that,” however that it’s working with its federal companions and reviewing “any prospects from wherever the proof will lead us from what we recuperate.”
Authorities beforehand stated Westman was in his early 20s. Noem later said he was 23.
O’Hara stated authorities positioned a smoke bomb, or a firework that might launch smoke, however had not discovered any explosives.
In addition they discovered a video manifesto that had been timed to add to YouTube following the taking pictures and are reviewing it for potential motives, O’Hara stated.
Catholic Faculty, Grades Pre-Okay to eighth
Based in 1923, Annunciation Catholic Faculty had 391 college students enrolled for the 2023 to 2024 college 12 months and has a student-to-teacher ratio of roughly 14 to 1, in accordance with the Nationwide Heart for Training Statistics. With grades pre-kindergarten via eighth grade, every grade stage has two courses and roughly 20 college students per class.
The varsity is in Minneapolis’s tree-lined Windom neighborhood, about 5 miles south of downtown. Social media pictures from the primary day of faculty on Aug. 25 present college students in inexperienced uniforms smiling, greeting each other at bicycle racks, and sitting collectively.
Annunciation Catholic Faculty’s web site states that lecturers “give attention to Christian values and civic-mindedness.”
Investigation Underway
Along with investigating the taking pictures as a focused act of home terrorism and an anti-Catholic hate crime, Patel stated the FBI will present updates to the general public as its investigation proceeds. Regulation enforcement stated beforehand it was investigating whether or not Westman had any identified connections to the varsity.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) stated it had accomplished a tracing of the firearms—the rifle, shotgun, and pistol—discovered on the college.
“ATF accomplished the pressing traces of the recovered firearms and has supplied that info to all investigative companions concerned within the taking pictures at Annunciation Church this morning,” the company’s St. Paul, Minnesota, workplace wrote in a post on X. “This info is for investigative companions solely and won’t be launched to the general public.”
O’Hara stated investigators are analyzing extra firearms discovered at three residential areas associated to Westman.
The Metropolis of Minneapolis wrote on X that “there isn’t any lively risk to the group at the moment” however warned residents to avoid the realm whereas emergency personnel assist victims.
President Donald Trump has been briefed on the taking pictures. He signed a proclamation ordering all flags at federal buildings to be flown at half-staff “as a mark of respect for the victims of the mindless acts of violence,” the White Home wrote on X.
Lawyer Basic Pam Bondi wrote on X, “Our federal brokers are on the scene of the horrific taking pictures on the Annunciation Catholic college in Minneapolis, Minnesota.”
Taking pictures at One other Catholic Faculty
The taking pictures on Aug. 27 adopted one which occurred the earlier afternoon at close by Cristo Rey Jesuit Excessive Faculty in Minneapolis, in what officers consider was a focused taking pictures. The shooter killed one particular person and injured six others amongst a gaggle of adults who have been hanging out close to the varsity, the police chief stated on Aug. 26.
Not less than one of many adults was focused, and officers didn’t point out if anybody from the varsity was concerned within the taking pictures.
Annunciation Catholic Faculty is roughly 4 miles south of Cristo Rey. Authorities don’t consider that the 2 incidents are linked.
O’Hara advised reporters that legislation enforcement had arrested two suspects in relation to that taking pictures.
“Now we have not gotten the shooter but, however we consider we’ve got two folks beneath arrest that have been current with the shooter when that occurred, and we’re making important progress,” he stated.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
Should you discovered this text fascinating, please contemplate supporting conventional journalism
Our first version was printed 25 years in the past from a basement in Atlanta. Right now, The Epoch Occasions brings fact-based, award-winning journalism to thousands and thousands of People.
Our journalists have been threatened, arrested, and assaulted, however our dedication to impartial journalism has by no means wavered. This 12 months marks our twenty fifth 12 months of impartial reporting, free from company and political affect.
That’s why you’re invited to a limited-time introductory provide — simply $1 per week — so you possibly can be part of thousands and thousands already celebrating impartial information.
