Officers arrange obstacles after a capturing at Annunciation Church, which can be dwelling to a an elementary college, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Aug. 27, 2025.
Ben Brewer | Reuters
A gunman killed two younger kids and injured 17 folks gathered at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis for a service on Wednesday to mark the primary week of the parish’s college, police stated.
Fourteen of the injured are kids, two of whom are in crucial situation, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated at a information convention.
The youngsters who died had been 8 and 10 years outdated, O’Hara stated.
The shooter, who officers later recognized as Robin Westman, is useless from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, he stated.
Westman left behind a number of on-line movies referencing violent ideas and suicide, in addition to a sketch of a church’s inside and an apology to their household, senior legislation enforcement officers briefed on the matter instructed NBC Information.
The assault occurred simply earlier than 8:30 a.m. native time, as the youngsters attended the service on the church.
The gunman, armed with a rifle, a pistol and a shotgun, and clad in black cargo-style pants, was positioned on the surface of the constructing and commenced firing by home windows towards the youngsters, who had been sitting in pews.
The shooter, who’s in his 20s and doesn’t have an intensive felony historical past, is believed to have acted alone, O’Hara stated.
The chief stated he was not conscious if the shooter was a former worker or pupil of Annunciation.
“The sheer cruelty and cowardice, the firing right into a church full of youngsters, is totally incomprehensible,” O’Hara stated.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated: “Do not simply say that is about ideas and prayers proper now. These children had been actually praying!”
“There are not any phrases that may seize the horror and the evil of this unspeakable act,” Frey stated.
Mother and father await information of their kids’s standing after capturing at Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning, Aug. 27, 2025 in Minneapolis.
Richard Tsong-Taatarii | The Minnesota Star Tribune | Getty Photos
“Don’t consider these as simply anyone else’s children. These households are struggling immense ache proper now. Consider this as if it had been your individual,” the mayor added.
Victims have been admitted to 2 completely different hospitals. The 9 kids being handled at Hennepin Healthcare Hospital are between 6 and 14 years outdated, the hospital stated at a information convention.
Earlier than the shooter was declared contained, Gov. Tim Walz stated that he had been briefed on the capturing and that he was “praying for our youngsters and academics whose first week of college was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
President Donald Trump spoke to Walz after the capturing, a White Home official instructed NBC.
Trump “known as to supply his condolences to the folks of Minnesota and Governor Walz thanked him for the help,” a supply acquainted with the decision instructed NBC.
In a proclamation Wednesday afternoon, Trump ordered that American flags be flown at half mast on the White Home and on all U.S. public grounds and army posts till Sunday at sundown.
Regulation enforcement officers collect exterior the Annunciation Church’s college in response to a reported mass capturing, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis.
Mark Vancleave | AP
Minnesota’s U.S. senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, thanked first responders and expressed grief over the violence.
“It is the primary week of college. These children shouldn’t be fearing for his or her lives,” Smith wrote.
