Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting Leaves 2 Children Dead, 17 Injured

MINNEAPOLIS – A tragic school shooting unfolded Tuesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, leaving two children dead and 17 others injured after a gunman opened fire during morning mass.

Authorities confirmed that two students, ages 8 and 10, were killed in the attack. Of the 17 people injured, 14 are children. Police identified the gunman as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who died by suicide inside the church following the shooting.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined law enforcement and community leaders at a press conference, calling the event an unimaginable loss.

“Certainly a day in a news conference that no one wants to be at,” Gov. Walz said. “Annunciation Church and school, committed to academics, service and Catholic values, filled with the first days of school, of beautiful children going to learn those values, share with their teachers and their classmates. And instead of that joy and curiosity and that learning, they were met with evil and horror and death.”

Mayor Frey echoed the call for action: “We need to be doing more than talking. It can’t just be words. There needs to be action. And when we have seen school shooting after school shooting, when we have seen churches get shot up by horrible actors, I think the impetus has to be on all of us as leaders to do a whole lot more, to recognize that we’ve got more guns in this country than we have people.”

In response, President Trump has ordered all flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims and their families.

This latest tragedy has once again reignited national discussions on school safety, gun violence, and community protection. Officials say counseling services are being offered to students, staff, and families in the wake of the shooting.

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