The nation is grieving the loss of two Minneapolis children killed while praying inside a church building. The two murdered victims are 8 and 10 years old, along with 17 other victims who were injured – 14 of them are children, along with three people in their eighties, and all are now expected to survive.
The shooter, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, fired through the stained glass windows of Annunciation Catholic Church during an early morning worship service marking the start of a new year at the adjoining kindergarten through eighth grade school.”
Overnight, vigils were held for the victims. St. Paul-Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda spoke at one gathering at a school near the crime scene and offered words of comfort and encouragement.
“We too can be that gate of heaven,” he said, “Not only for ourselves, but leading others to heaven as well.”
Just hours earlier, bullets struck students who were sitting in similar church pews. Weston, a fifth grader, described what he saw. “It was right beside me. I was like two feet away from the stained glass window. So the shots were right next to me. My friend got hit in the back,” he said. “He went to the hospital.”
PHOTO: Parents comfort their children after a shooting at Annunciation Church on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025 in Minneapolis. (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP)
Another student, Clarissa Garcia, was also inside the chapel. “I heard something really loud. I thought it was fireworks in the church, and then I saw the shooting and I was like, ‘I’m so scared,'” she said. “Me and my friend CeCe were just praying, praying.”
The shooter died by suicide in the parking lot and is identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, formerly Robert Westman, who legally changed his name in 2020 to be identified as female. The suspect reportedly attended the school previously, and his mother worked at the church.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara spoke to reporters. “The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” he said.
The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Social media posts, which authorities believe were made by the shooter, also reveal a hatred of Jews and President Trump.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressed outrage at a news conference. “These kids were literally praying. They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence,” he said.
The tragedy may give rise to questions from young children. Betsy Linnell, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor and Assistant Professor of Psychology at Cedarville University, told CBN News parents can respond to their children in an age-appropriate way.
“Saying, ‘Yes, something bad happened. Let’s pray for those families,'” she said. “Reminding them that God is with them, that He’s right there with them and that they are trusting that God is always with the child can be very reassuring.”
Linnell said parents who are anxious about their children’s safety can find reassurance as well.
“This isn’t our ultimate home. We do have a bigger home one day, and unfortunately, pain and struggle and loss are part of our fallen world. And that’s not a message that’s easy, but it’s a message that’s true,” she said.
President Trump has ordered flags at half-staff as mark of respect for the victims.
