Police said two children, 8 and 10, were killed and 17 injured when an attacker opened fire through a window of the Catholic Church in Minneapolis.
The shooting happened Wednesday, and there was also a school where students were everywhere in the Angel Church. Of the 17 injured victims, 14 children are all going to survive.
Authorities say the attacker, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died of a shooting injury at the scene, and has no “important criminal history.”
“This is intentional violence against innocent children and other worshippers,” police chief Brian O’Hara told reporters.
He added: “Pure cruelty and cowardice are fired to a church full of children, which is absolutely incomprehensible.”
The motive for the shooting is still unknown. FBI Director Kash Patel said it is being investigated as family terrorism and hate crimes against Catholics.
Police received a call for the shooting before 08:00 local time (14:00BST) on Wednesday.
The attacker approached one side of the building and opened dozens of photos through the church window using three guns (rifle, a shotgun and pistol). Police also found a smoke bomb at the scene.
Officials are investigating whether he fired a gun inside the building or that all shots came from outside the church, noting that no casing of bullets was found inside.
“I can hear ‘prosper, prosper, prosper’,” PJ Mudd, who lives near the church and worked from home on Wednesday morning, told the Wall Street Journal. “It suddenly fell on me – that was a shot.”
Then he ran to the church, where he saw the cartridges from three magazines.
The 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told CBS member WCCO that his friend lay on him and rescued him from the bullet.
“I’m like two seats from the stained glass window,” he said. “My friend, Victor saved me because he was lying on me, but he was hit.”
“My friend got hit behind and he went to the hospital…I was very scared of him, but I think he’s OK right now,” he said.
Located in a residential area south of Minneapolis, the school is home to students aged 5 to 14.
According to a 2016 school newsletter, the attacker’s mother, Mary Grace Westman, had worked at the school. An article on Facebook said she retired in 2021.
Police did find a note of the suspect scheduled to be posted online at the time of the shooting. The FBI assisted officials and removed it.
Gov. Tim Walz said Donald Trump and his team expressed “deep condolences” and provided assistance.
He said the situation was “too common – not only in Minnesota, but nationwide,” adding that he hoped no community or school would have to go through such a day.
Trump later said that the U.S. flag would be hung on the White House half-mast to indicate the victim.
Health & Wellness Contributor
A wellness enthusiast and certified nutrition advisor, Meera covers everything from healthy living tips to medical breakthroughs. Her articles aim to inform and inspire readers to live better every day.
