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What we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

August 28, 2025

A tragic shooting occurred at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis when 23-year-old Robin Westman fired dozens of shots through the windows during a worship service attended by schoolchildren, killing two children aged 8 and 10 and injuring seventeen others. The FBI is investigating the incident as "an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics," with evidence suggesting Westman had planned the attack for more than a month, including detailed notes written partly in Cyrillic. Westman, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, left behind a "manifesto" timed to publish on YouTube and notebooks revealing extensive planning, while officials confirmed the suspect acted alone and lacked an extensive criminal history.

Who is affected

  • Two children (aged 8 and 10) who were killed
  • Seventeen injured people (14 children and 3 elderly parishioners in their 80s)
  • Seven critically injured children aged 6-14 who were brought to Hennepin County Medical Center
  • Students and staff of Annunciation Catholic Church and School
  • Families of victims and the broader Catholic community
  • The Minneapolis community traumatized by the attack

What action is being taken

  • The FBI is investigating the incident as "an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics"
  • Officials took down the "manifesto" the suspect timed to publish on YouTube
  • Police are investigating whether shots were fired from inside or exclusively outside the building
  • Medical teams at Hennepin County Medical Center are treating the injured, with four children needing surgery

Why it matters

  • This represents a targeted attack against a religious institution and school children
  • The incident appears to be a premeditated hate crime against Catholics based on FBI designation
  • The evidence of planning (notebooks, manifesto) suggests a deliberate terrorist act rather than a spontaneous shooting
  • The attack has traumatized an entire community and school during their first week of classes
  • The incident involves children as young as six being critically injured in a place of worship and learning

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC

What we know about the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting