Minnesota was shaken on Wednesday morning when a devastating act of violence unfolded at Annunciation Church and Catholic School in Minneapolis. During a weekly school mass, a gunman opened fire. Police identified the assailant as 23-year-old Robin Westman, formerly known as Robert Westman before legally changing his name in 2020. Westman died by suicide inside the church after the attack.
Authorities confirmed that the gunman fired multiple rounds through the church’s windows while children and staff gathered for worship. Among the victims were two young children, aged 10 and 8, who tragically lost their lives. Of the 17 people injured, 14 were children, with two listed in critical condition. Families across the city are grappling with grief and fear in the wake of the attack.
At a press conference held shortly after the incident, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the shooting as “absolutely incomprehensible” that struck during the very first week of the school year. “Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their children, for these young lives that are now fighting to recover, and for our entire community that has been so deeply traumatized by this senseless attack.”