Gunman Kills Two Children, Injures 17 at Minneapolis Catholic School Mass
Two children died and 17 were injured in an August 27, 2025, shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during morning Mass. The gunman died by suicide.
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Overview
- On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, a shooting occurred at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during morning Mass, marking the first week of classes.
- The incident resulted in the deaths of two children, aged 8 and 10, and the 23-year-old gunman, Robin Westman, who died from a self-inflicted wound.
- Seventeen others, including 14 children aged 6 to 15 and three adults, sustained injuries, with several patients in critical condition at local hospitals.
- Westman, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, fired from outside through church windows, with officials believing most of the shooting was done externally.
- Authorities confirmed no active threat, but the motive, including potential domestic terrorism or hate crime targeting Catholics, remains under investigation.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame this story by emphasizing the community's resilience and calls for action. They highlight the principal's message of rebuilding and the mayor's plea for change beyond 'thoughts and prayers.' The FBI's classification of the event as a 'hate crime targeting Catholics' is also prominently featured, shaping the narrative around the attack's nature.
"As the bullets flew into a Minneapolis church during a Mass in an inhumane crime, it was the best of humanity that shone through."
USA TODAY"The principal of the Minnesota Catholic school where a shooter opened fire outside of a Mass service Wednesday morning is speaking out hours after the attack."
ABC News"The shooter not only murdered two children and wounded 17 others at Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday, Aug. 27, but they inflicted their rage on people young and old who were praising God and giving thanks in celebration of the first week of school."
USA TODAY"A shooter opened fire Wednesday morning during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two children and injuring 17 other people before killing himself, officials said."
Chicago Sun-Times"The suspect, identified by federal law enforcement as Robin Westman, killed at least two children and injured 17 others, including 14 kids."
NBC News"The level of firepower unleashed in broad daylight on a city street is sickening and completely unacceptable."
USA TODAY"The gunman took his own life in the rear of the church, he said."
Deadline"The suspect who opened fire on a Catholic school in Minneapolis during Mass has been identified by officials as a person in their early 20s who left behind videos online with writings that referenced suicide."
NBC News"The first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."
CBS News"The shooting triggered a massive law enforcement response to West 54th Street between Harriet and Garfield avenues."
CBS News"The shooting in Minneapolis is the latest in a long list of attacks targeting students since the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado."
Associated Press"The shooting took place at Annunciation Catholic School, which offers instruction to students in preschool through the 8th grade."
USA TODAY"The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible."
ABC News"A shooter opened fire Wednesday morning during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two children and injuring 17 other people before killing himself, officials said."
Associated Press"The gunman died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Minnesota Police Chief Brian O’Hara said."
ABC News"At least five children were injured in a shooting Wednesday morning during the first week of classes at a Minneapolis Catholic school, authorities and a hospital said."
ABC News"This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping."
CBS News"The shooting occurred at Annunciation Church, which also houses a school."
USA TODAY"The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible."
Associated PressArticles (67)
FAQ
The gunman was Robin Westman, a 23-year-old who died by suicide at the scene.
The gunman fired through the stained-glass windows of the church from outside using a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, firing between 50 and 100 rounds before shooting himself.
Two children aged 8 and 10 were killed, and 17 people including 14 children and three adults were injured, with several in critical condition.
Authorities are still investigating the motive, considering possibilities including domestic terrorism or a hate crime targeting Catholics, but no definitive motive has been announced.
The school's staff quickly moved students under pews within seconds of the gunfire and evacuated them safely within minutes; emergency services responded rapidly to treat and transport the injured.
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