MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The serene morning of August 27, 2025, at Annunciation Catholic School was shattered by an act of unimaginable violence that left a tight-knit community reeling. In a horrifying mass shooting during a morning Mass marking the start of the school year, two young children, aged 8 and 10, lost their lives, and 17 others were wounded, including 14 children and three elderly parishioners. Among the injured, 14-year-old Sophia clings to life in critical condition, her fate a rallying cry for prayers across Minneapolis and beyond. The suspected shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, ended their own life at the scene, leaving behind a trail of devastation and haunting questions about motive and intent.
The tragedy unfolded just before 8:30 a.m. at Annunciation Catholic Church, a century-old beacon of faith in south Minneapolis, connected to the school where students from preschool to eighth grade were gathered in worship. The assailant, clad in black and armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, approached the church’s exterior and unleashed a barrage of gunfire through its stained-glass windows, targeting innocent children and worshippers seated in the pews. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the attack as a “deliberate act of violence against innocent children and worshippers,” his voice heavy with anguish as he called it an “incomprehensible display of cruelty and cowardice.”
Investigators revealed chilling details of premeditation: Westman had placed wooden two-by-fours through the handles of at least two church exits, a calculated move to trap victims inside, heightening the terror of those scrambling for safety. “The theory is they wanted to create containment where their victims would be trapped,” said CNN’s chief law enforcement analyst John Miller, underscoring the planning behind the attack. As bullets tore through the sacred space, quick-thinking staff members ushered children under pews within seconds, a heroic effort that saved lives but could not prevent the heartbreaking loss of two young souls.
The community’s grief is palpable, with stories of survival and loss emerging from the chaos. Weston, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, recounted to local media the terror of sitting just two feet from a stained-glass window as bullets rained through. “My friend got hit in the back. He went to the hospital,” he said, his voice trembling with the shock of witnessing such horror. Parents, like Renee Lego, whose two sons attend the school, spoke of the visceral pain of seeing blood on their children’s clothes. “It’s just horrific—so cowardly,” she told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “This person knew this was our first all-school Mass of the year. It was obviously planned.”
Authorities identified the shooter as Robin Westman, a 23-year-old from suburban Minneapolis with no significant criminal history. Court records reveal that Westman, born Robert Paul Westman, had their name legally changed to Robin in January 2020 at age 17, with their mother, Mary Grace Westman, citing that the minor “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.” Mary Grace, a former parish secretary at Annunciation who retired in 2021, had deep ties to the school, and Westman themselves was a former student, graduating from the school in 2017. These connections have left investigators grappling with the question of why Westman targeted a place so intimately familiar.
Digital footprints offer disturbing clues. A now-deleted YouTube account believed to belong to Westman contained videos that paint a troubling picture of a mind consumed by violence. One video, described as a manifesto, showed a hand flipping through notebooks filled with Cyrillic writings, violent sketches, and a diagram labeled “Annunciation from memory,” depicting the church’s layout. In one chilling moment, the individual stabbed the drawing with a knife, a grim foreshadowing of the attack. Other entries detailed an obsession with mass shootings dating back to Westman’s seventh-grade years, plans to purchase an AR-15 rifle, and a desire to target “a large group of kids” during a school assembly. References to suicide, apologies to family, and violent messages scrawled on weapons—including phrases like “kill Donald Trump” and “Where is your God?”—further deepen the mystery of Westman’s motives.
The FBI, led by Director Kash Patel, is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a potential hate crime targeting Catholics, though Minneapolis police have yet to confirm a specific motive. Chief O’Hara noted that all three firearms used in the attack were legally purchased by Westman in recent months, a fact that has reignited calls for action on gun violence. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, visibly shaken, urged against scapegoating the transgender community, emphasizing the need to focus on supporting the victims. “Every one of us needs to be wrapping our arms around these families,” he said. “The amount of pain they are suffering right now is extraordinary.”
The community’s response has been one of solidarity and sorrow. Local businesses, like The Lowbrow and El Sazon Cocina & Tragos, have opened their doors as spaces for grieving families to gather, offering meals and comfort. A candlelight vigil was held Wednesday evening, with green and blue ribbons—the school’s colors—tied around trees near the home of one of the victims. Faith leaders, including Fr. Timothy Sas of St. Mary Greek Orthodox Church, have called for prayers, particularly for Sophia, who underwent emergency surgery and remains in critical condition. “We are navigating an impossible situation together,” the Church of Annunciation said in a statement, praising the swift actions of staff and first responders who risked their lives to protect the children.
Hospitals across Minneapolis have been inundated with victims. Hennepin Healthcare received 10 patients, with one adult and six children in critical condition, while Children’s Minnesota treated seven children, four of whom have been discharged. All surviving victims are expected to recover, but the emotional scars will linger. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was at the scene after attending a funeral for two state politicians killed in a separate incident, spoke of the state’s heartbreak: “Hug your kids close.”
As the nation mourns, the tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School stands as a stark reminder of the fragility of safety in places meant for sanctuary. President Donald Trump ordered flags to fly at half-staff until August 31, a solemn gesture for a community grappling with loss. In the words of Principal Matt DeBoer, who stood before a grieving crowd, “I love you, I’m so sorry this happened today.” Minneapolis now faces the long road of healing, united in grief and resolve to honor the memory of the lives lost and the courage of those who survived.