During morning Mass at a Catholic school in Minneapolis on Wednesday, a gunman opened fire, resulting in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 others before the shooter took his own life, according to officials.
The shooting happened during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School. Monday had been the first day of classes.
Of the 17 injured, police said 14 were children. Two of those children were in critical condition.
This tragic event occurred as schools across the U.S. are beginning their academic year, with some universities recently encountering false alarms about campus shootings. Numerous college campuses received prank calls about active shooters, with some even including gunshot sounds in the background.
Here are some of the things to know about the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School.
What do we know about the victims?
The two young victims were ages 8 and 10, authorities reported. While the identities of the victims have not been made public, officials stated that the children were shot and killed in the pews of the church during Mass.
It is unclear how many people were inside the church at the time.
What do we know about the shooter?
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara noted that the shooter, armed with a combination of rifle, shotgun, and pistol, approached the church from the side, firing through windows at the children inside before taking his own life in an adjacent parking lot.
He said the shooter was in his early 20s, did not have an extensive known criminal history and acted alone. He did not release more details.
A law enforcement source informed The Associated Press that the shooter has been identified as Robin Westman. This source was not officially authorized to speak about the active investigation and requested anonymity.
Former Kentucky state lawmaker Bob Heleringer told The Associated Press he is Westman’s uncle, but had not seen him in a few years.
“He was my nephew, and I wish he had targeted me instead of those innocent children,” Heleringer remarked in a phone interview. “I hardly knew him. His family didn’t live in Louisville; they were residents of Minnesota.”
What do we know about the school?
Founded in 1923, the school had 391 students enrolled for the 2023-24 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Each grade level has two classes, with about 20 students in each class.
It’s located in the city’s Windom neighborhood, about 5 miles (8 kilometers) south of downtown Minneapolis.
The school’s website says teachers “focus on Christian values and civic-mindedness.”
President Trump’s comments
President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post that he was briefed on the “tragic shooting” and that the White House would continue to monitor the situation.
“The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene,” Trump said in a statement on social media.
“The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”
A nearby shooting
A shooter killed one person and injured six others nearby Cristo Rey Jesuit High School on Tuesday afternoon, in what authorities believe was a targeted shooting.
Annunciation Catholic School is about 4 miles (6 kilometers) south of Cristo Rey, and officials do not believe the shootings are linked.
The police chief said Tuesday that a group of adults hanging out near the school were shot, and least one of them was targeted. There was no mention of anyone from the school being involved in the shooting.
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Associated Press writer Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington and Bruce Schreiner in Frankfort, Kentucky, contributed to this report.
