CNN

2 children killed and 17 people injured in shooting at Minneapolis Catholic school Mass

By CNN

Published August 27, 2025 4:31 pm

KARE, WCCO

By Elise Hammond, Emma Tucker, Tori B. Powell, Andi Babineau, Matt Lait, Maureen Chowdhury, Dakin Andone, Arit John, Hannah Rabinowitz, Mark Morales

MINNEAPOLIS – The FBI is investigating a deadly shooting in Minneapolis during a Catholic school Mass as “an act of domestic terrorism and hate crimes targeting Catholics,” the agency’s director, Kash Patel, announced Wednesday.

At least two children were killed and 17 people were injured during the Mass to mark the first week of class at Annunciation Catholic School, according to police.

“This was towards the beginning of Mass so some of the children were already filed into the church and were seated, others were coming in.” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

Officials say the shooter fired through windows at people sitting in pews. An 8- and 10-year-old were pronounced dead at the scene.

Fourteen other children, between the ages of six and 15, were injured by gunfire. Three adults in their 80s were also shot. They were parishioners who were also attending Mass.

Although the shooting victims of Wednesday’s incident are experiencing “a range of injuries,” they all are expected to survive, O’Hara said.

“I believe all of them have their parents with them now and they are all expected to survive,” O’Hara said today at a news briefing.

Police officers in Minneapolis “are deeply traumatized” by what they saw at Annunciation Catholic School, O’Hara said. “The dozens of officers that responded to the scene, many of them are deeply traumatized by what they saw, as are obviously all of the children,” O’Hara said.

The FBI identified the shooter, who is dead, as Robin Westman. Westman had no prior criminal history. The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, which O’Hara said were purchased recently and legally. Police said Westman died of a self-inflicted wound.

Westman, 23, graduated from Annunciation Catholic’s grade school in 2017, according to a yearbook obtained by CNN.

Westman’s mother also had previously worked at Annunciation from 2016 through 2021, according to social media posts.

President Donald Trump said on Truth Social, calling the incident a “tragic shooting.”

“Please join me,” the president said, “in praying for everyone involved!”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey offered condolences to the families of the victims of Wednesday’s shooting, dismissing any offers of “thoughts and prayers.”

“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” he said. “These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”

A man who lives near the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis said he heard “incredibly loud shots” from the direction of the school while working from home.

PJ Mudd told CNN when he realized what was happening, he ran over to try to help and saw “red smoke” and “bullets all along the path” to the school’s church.

He described the police showing up shortly after and children running from the building “screaming and crying.”

“It was awful,” Mudd said.