2 Children Killed, 17 Hurt in Shooting at Minneapolis Church

Aug 27

Two children were killed and 17 others injured Wednesday morning when The suspect opened fire during a school mass at the Church of the Annunciation in south Minneapolis.

Police say the shooting began shortly after 8:15 a.m. while students from the adjacent Annunciation School, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade, were gathered for their weekly Wednesday service.

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An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old died in the attack. Fourteen of the 17 injured are children, and two remain in critical condition. Victims were triaged on site and transported to Hennepin Healthcare and Children’s Minnesota. Hennepin Healthcare confirmed it treated 11 patients, including two adults and nine children ages 6 to 14, with four requiring surgery. Children’s Minnesota admitted seven child patients, one of whom has since been discharged.

Authorities said the gunman, identified by sources as 23-year-old Robin Westman, approached the church armed with a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, firing through stained-glass windows into the congregation. Police said Westman was later found dead behind the church from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators also recovered a smoke device at the scene but confirmed there were no explosives. Court records show Westman legally changed her name from Robert to Robin in 2020 and grew up nearby. The Guardian has reported Westman’s mother worked at the school until 2021.

A reunification site was established at Annunciation School, 525 West 54th Street, where about 60 students sheltered in the basement during the shooting were later released to families. Police emphasized there is no ongoing threat to the public. Federal agencies including the FBI, ATF, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension joined local officers at the scene. The ATF confirmed it is conducting urgent traces on the firearms used.

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*The scene of a shooting in Minneapolis Wednesday morning which wounded 19 people, many of them children.*

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called the shooting “an unspeakable act of evil” and said the city will open a family assistance center for those affected. “Children have been killed, more are injured, and our community is shaken. Right now, our entire city needs to wrap these families in love and support. This was their first week of school. They should be laughing and goofing off in the hallways right now. They should be learning and playing with their friends on the playground,” Frey said.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers entered the building to rescue those hiding and give emergency care. “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said.

City Council Members Emily Koski and Linea Palmisano, whose wards border the church, said in a joint statement, “This is a heartbreaking day for our city. Our hearts are with the students, families, educators, and clergy of Annunciation. We want to thank the first responders whose quick and courageous actions contained the threat and prevented this tragedy from becoming even worse.”

Investigators are also reviewing disturbing videos and writings posted online that appear linked to Westman, including footage showing a notebook with firearm schematics and cryptic handwritten entries. Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive for the attack.

The investigation remains active. Authorities say they are processing evidence from the church, the suspect’s vehicle, and digital materials while continuing to support victims and families.

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