Minneapolis School Shooting Leaves Two Children Dead as FBI Investigates Anti-Catholic Attack
A school shooting in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 more wounded is being investigated as a hate crime against Catholics, according to BBC.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed in a statement on X that the attack is being treated as domestic terrorism.
Gunman Opens Fire During Mass
The violence unfolded on Wednesday morning at Annunciation Church, where pupils were gathered for Mass. The attacker, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, fired repeatedly through the windows of the building, which also houses a school. Two children aged eight and ten were killed. Westman later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tributes poured in, including from Pope Leo XIV, the first American pontiff, who said he was «profoundly saddened». Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara condemned the «cruelty and cowardice» of firing into a church filled with children, calling the assault incomprehensible. He stressed that local police are leading the inquiry with support from federal agencies and will follow the evidence wherever it leads.
Weapons Recovered at Scene
Police received the first calls just before 8 a.m. local time. Westman was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. A smoke bomb was also recovered at the scene. Investigators are assessing whether shots came from inside the church, as no bullet casings were found indoors.
Witnesses described the terror. Neighbour PJ Mudd recalled hearing repeated gunfire before discovering cartridges outside the church. A 10-year-old survivor told CBS affiliate WCCO that his friend shielded him from bullets by lying across him, taking a shot in the back but surviving.
Attacker’s Background
Annunciation Church serves children aged 5 to 14. Records show Westman’s mother worked there until her retirement in 2021. Police later removed an online note the attacker had scheduled to publish during the assault.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said President Donald Trump had offered condolences and federal assistance. Trump later announced that flags at the White House would fly at half-mast as a mark of respect.
