Law enforcement officers gathered outside Annunciation Church and School in South Minneapolis on Wednesday after a horrific tragedy shook the community.

A tragic mass shooting unfolded at the Catholic school in the morning hours, leaving at least two people dead and more than a dozen others injured, many of them young children. The incident took place at the Church of the Annunciation and the adjoining K-8 Annunciation Catholic School in South Minneapolis, during what should have been a normal first week of the school year. Authorities later explained that a gunman, dressed entirely in black, opened fire around 8:30 a.m. during a morning mass attended by students. The attacker was eventually found dead, and police confirmed that the threat was “contained.”

Shooting During Morning Mass

The first official reports of gunfire came in at approximately 8:27 a.m. from Annunciation Church and School on West 54th Street in South Minneapolis. Students from pre-kindergarten through 8th grade had gathered for an all-school mass, which had started at 8:15 a.m., marking the beginning of their first week back at school. Witnesses described the chilling scene as they saw a man “dressed in all black and armed with a rifle” suddenly begin shooting inside the church.

Residents living nearby recalled hearing a series of loud bangs. Some of them initially mistook the noise for construction work, not realizing it was gunfire. What should have been a routine and peaceful school-day worship service instantly turned into chaos, as children and staff tried desperately to find safety while the sound of gunfire rang through the building.

Emergency Response to Mass Casualty

As soon as the active shooter calls came in, police and emergency responders from across the Twin Cities rushed to the site. According to official Minneapolis Police Department logs, more than 65 units were dispatched to the church and school campus. The seriousness of the situation became clear when authorities declared a mass-casualty incident, after receiving reports that as many as 20 people had been wounded by the gunfire.

Ambulances from multiple agencies, including Hennepin County EMS, along with emergency crews from North Memorial and Allina Health, transported the injured to hospitals. The Minnesota State Patrol joined local police at the scene, and federal agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were also deployed to assist in securing the location. Fire department teams entered the building as well, after unconfirmed reports suggested that there might have been an explosive device planted inside. Although this detail had not been confirmed in the immediate aftermath, the possibility prompted authorities to treat the situation with extreme caution.

Shooter Contained and Casualties

By mid-morning, officials confirmed that the crisis had been brought under control and that there was no further active threat to the community. Authorities stated that the suspected shooter was “contained,” a term used to indicate that the attacker could no longer harm others. Sources later confirmed that the gunman was found dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Police emphasized that no officers had been injured during the confrontation. However, the attack itself left behind devastating consequences. At least two people were confirmed dead, and more than a dozen others suffered injuries ranging from minor to critical. Among the wounded were multiple children under the age of 13, since Annunciation serves both elementary and middle school students. Reports indicated that at least four victims were in critical condition as they were rushed for emergency treatment.

In the hours immediately after the shooting, the entire area around the school was sealed off. Authorities urged members of the public to avoid West 54th Street between Lyndale and Nicollet Avenues, so that first responders could focus on helping victims and securing the site. A reunification area was quickly set up at the school itself, where parents and families could be reunited with their children once the building was cleared. By around 9:30 a.m., parents were allowed to start picking up their children, as the lockdown was lifted and medical triage was underway.

Investigators continued to comb through both the church and school to ensure there were no additional dangers. Bomb technicians were also deployed as a precaution because of the earlier report of a possible explosive device.

Leaders and Community React with Shock

Local and state leaders responded with deep shock and urgency as the tragic events unfolded in Minneapolis. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, speaking shortly after 9 a.m., confirmed that he had been briefed on the “shooting at Annunciation Catholic School” and emphasized that the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) along with the State Patrol were already present at the site to help. In his official statement shared on X (formerly Twitter), Governor Walz added, “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.” His words reflected the sorrow of a state where children had just returned to classrooms only to face terror inside a place meant to keep them safe.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also addressed the public, making it clear that he was closely monitoring developments. He said he had been in constant contact with Police Chief Brian O’Hara as the city’s emergency response team was activated to manage the situation. Mayor Frey urged the community for patience and cooperation, stressing, “Please give our officers the space they need to respond to the situation.” In the same statement, he described the incident as “horrific violence in South Minneapolis.”

At the national level, the tragedy caught the attention of senior officials. U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem confirmed that the Department of Homeland Security was “monitoring the horrific shooting” in Minneapolis while coordinating efforts with other agencies. She offered heartfelt condolences, calling it a “heinous attack.”

Former President Donald Trump also issued a message of concern through his Truth Social account. He revealed that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” noting the presence of FBI teams at the scene and assuring the public that “the White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation.” Trump called on Americans to come together in solidarity, writing, “please join me in praying for everyone involved!”

The shock was not limited to officials. Many members of the community, particularly families of students, expressed fear and heartbreak as they awaited news of their loved ones. One woman, an aunt of two students at Annunciation, summed up the emotions as she told local media, “It’s so awful and it’s so scary.” She recounted the terrifying moment when her firefighter husband rushed toward the school after hearing about the shooting, while she stayed behind anxiously waiting for updates.

Members of Congress also reacted swiftly. Minnesota Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith both used social media to call the attack heartbreaking, while praising the courage of first responders. Senator Smith in particular shared the anguish of many parents, writing, “It’s the first week of school. These kids should not be fearing for their lives.”

Community leaders have urged residents of Minneapolis to keep the victims, their families, and the school community in their prayers as the city begins to heal from yet another act of gun violence.

A Violent 24 Hours in Minneapolis

The school shooting on Wednesday did not occur in isolation but marked the end of an unusually violent 24-hour period for the city of Minneapolis. Officials confirmed that this incident was actually the fourth shooting within the span of just one day, as three other shootings had taken place between Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning.

One of those incidents took place on Tuesday afternoon near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, another educational institution in South Minneapolis. Around 1:30 p.m., a gunman armed with a high-velocity .223 rifle opened fire on a group of people standing on a sidewalk across the street from the school. That attack left one adult male dead and six others wounded. Reports indicated that three of those injured were in critical condition, though doctors expected them to survive. After the shooting, the suspect fled in a vehicle before police arrived.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the daylight assault in strong terms, calling it “deeply troubling and unacceptable,” and highlighting the shocking level of firepower unleashed in a public area of the city.

Authorities have clarified that no connection has been identified between Tuesday’s Cristo Rey shooting and Wednesday’s Annunciation Catholic School tragedy. It appears to be a grim coincidence that two school-related shootings occurred on consecutive days in the same city.

Police continue to investigate all these incidents, but as of Wednesday, the primary focus remains on assisting the survivors of the Annunciation shooting and supporting their families. The school grounds at 509 West 54th Street have been secured by investigators, yet the investigation is still ongoing. Minneapolis now faces the difficult task of mourning the victims of yet another mass shooting in what should have been a safe place of learning.

Here is What We Know So Far About the Killer and His Manifesto

On Wednesday, the 27th, a shocking revelation came to light about the identity of the shooter who carried out the massacre at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis. The attacker was identified as a 23-year-old trans individual named Robin Westman, who unleashed a wave of terror on the school community during morning Mass.

According to official reports, the carnage began around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Westman opened fire through the windows of the church, deliberately targeting the children who had gathered inside for the service. The brutality of the attack became clear when it was confirmed that two children, aged 8 and 10 years, were killed, and 17 others — 14 children and 3 adults — were injured. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that two of the injured victims remained in critical condition.

He further confirmed that Westman had legally purchased all of the weapons used in the attack — a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. The shooter’s life ended at the scene, with investigators determining that Robin Westman died from a self-inflicted wound at the back of the church.

The authorities are now investigating the massacre as both an act of “domestic terrorism” and a “hate crime targeting Catholics.” Police Chief O’Hara condemned the act in strong terms, saying, “The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible.”

As the investigation deepened, disturbing links began to surface online. Westman was reported to have connections with trans activism, with information emerging that he was born male but transitioned into a trans woman through sex change surgery while still a minor.

Prior to carrying out the mass shooting, Westman had uploaded a video on YouTube, which has since been deleted. The footage reportedly displayed his firearms and the magazines that were later used during the attack. Even more alarming were the writings found on his guns. Phrases such as “Mashallah,” “Nuke India,” “Israel must fall” were scrawled across them. Alongside these, investigators noted racist and antisemitic slogans, as well as references praising the infamous mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik.

The shooter also left behind a disturbing trail of writings, including a ‘goodbye letter’ and a handwritten manifesto, written in both English and Russian. One chilling passage from the manifesto read, “People like me need to keep killing until the right people get fed up and decide to get involved and change the system. The current people in power need to be ousted. I call on you, those who want to kill, follow my and kill!”

Beyond the hatred and calls for violence, the writings also revealed a personal conflict. Westman appeared to regret his decision to transition. One of his disturbing notes read, “I am tired of being trans, I wish I never brain-washed myself. I can’t cut my hair of now as it would be embarrassing defeat, and it might be a concerning change (?) of character that could get me reported.”

These words exposed not only the extreme anger behind the attack but also the inner turmoil of the killer, who struggled with personal identity and resentment while channeling his frustration into a violent act that devastated countless lives.