UPDATED: Nation reels as Catholic school shooting in Minneapolis leaves 2 dead, 17 injured

First responders block off the crime scene following a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis Aug. 27, 2025. The Richfield Police Department is reporting there are up to 20 victims; two children and the suspected shooter are dead. (OSV News photo/Tim Evans, Reuters)ST. PAUL, Minn. (OSV News) -- A deadly mass shooting took place the morning of Aug. 27 at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis shortly after the start of the school day during an all-school Mass at the adjacent Annunciation Catholic Church.

The gunman shot from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, killing two children, ages 8 and 10. According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, 17 others are injured, including 14 children. Three adults who were shot were parishioners in their 80s.

While there were "a range of injuries" among the injured children, they are all expected to survive, O'Hara said during an afternoon press briefing.

The suspected gunman is also dead and believed to have taken his own life in the parking lot.

Archbishop Joe S. Vásquez of Galveston-Houston said in a statement that he was "deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the shooting."

According to Catholic News Service, Pope Leo XIV sent his “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness” to all those affected by the “terrible tragedy” of a shooting at a Catholic church in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 people injured.

"I invite all the faithful of the Archdiocese to join me in praying for the victims, students, families and community impacted by this terrible act of violence," he said. "We ask our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Lord of all peace and consolation, to comfort all those affected."

The pope’s condolences went particularly to “the families now grieving the loss of a child,” said a telegram to Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis signed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state.

The papal message to Archbishop Hebda said that “while commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones.”

“At this extremely difficult time, the Holy Father imparts to the Annunciation Catholic School community, the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis and the people of the greater Twin Cities metropolitan area his apostolic blessing as a pledge of peace, fortitude and consolation in the Lord Jesus,” it said.

Local media is reporting the suspected shooter was 23-year-old Robin Westman, who formerly went by Robert, and that his mother had been an employee of Annunciation.

Court documents filed in Dakota County, accessed by OSV News on Aug. 27, indicate that Westman identified as female and petitioned to formally undergo a name change to reflect that identity. The request was granted on Jan. 15, 2020.

O'Hara confirmed that Westman appeared to have barricaded at least two of the church's exterior doors with two-by-four wooden boards to trap Mass attendees inside.

Aug. 27 was the third day of the school year for the Catholic elementary school, which serves students in preschool to grade eight. Students were attending an all-school Mass that began at 8:15 a.m. Authorities were alerted at 8:27 a.m.

The mass shooting at Annunciation appears to be the first of its kind involving a Catholic school since the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Littleton, Colorado.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey joined O'Hara in speaking to media on the scene during a mid-morning press conference. Dr. Thomas Wyatt, chair of emergency medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center in downtown Minneapolis, also provided reporters an update on victims' status. He said 11 patients were taken to HCMC, among them two adults and nine children ages 6-14.

"Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying," Frey said. "They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence and their parents should have the same assurance."

"There are no words that can capture the horror and the evil of this unspeakable act," he said.

Father Erich Rutten, pastor of nearby St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, arrived on scene this morning to pray with and comfort distraught and grieving parents at the school.

The priest told NBC News that parents were in "great, great anxiety and grief," with some "wailing and crying, some stooping to the ground."

He told the news outlet that he hugged those he recognized; several of them joined in as he prayed the rosary.

Bishop Kevin T. Kenney, auxiliary bishop of St. Paul and Minneapolis, who grew up attending Annunciation Parish, rushed from the downtown Minneapolis parish where he serves as pastor to Hennepin County Medical Center to comfort families. He told local ABC affiliate KSTP , "It's just unbelievable that this could happen, still today."

It's "very sad for the community, for the families, and very sad for the families who have lost loved ones," he said.

"I have talked to a few (families) whose children are in surgery or being cared for," he added. "Just panicking, of course they're in shock and worried, asking, 'Why, why?' So I'm just here to comfort. They also have a wonderful staff inside as well to comfort the people and to just walk with them in these hours ahead."

He said, "It's a horrible, horrific way for all the students to begin the school year. Safety procedures were put in place, people come excited to go back to school, very excited about an academic year, feeling safe in south Minneapolis, and now look what happened."

Annunciation's former interim pastor Father Robert Hart, 77, told NBC News that the school shooting was "unbelievable."

"It's hard to believe that this could happen at a Catholic Mass," he said. The priest described Annunciation as a "very close-knit and very supportive" community.

President Donald Trump said on the X social media platform that he has "been fully briefed" on the shooting.

"The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene," he said. "The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!"

Also on X, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that he has been "briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information. The BCA and State Patrol are on scene. I'm praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."

Kristi Noem, secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said on X that "DHS is monitoring the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available. I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families."

Bishops and Catholic leaders across the country have issued their condolences and offered prayers in solidarity with the church in Minnesota.

“As a Church, we are following the tragic news from Annunciation School in Minneapolis with heartbreaking sadness," said Archbishop William E. Lori, vice president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, in a statement. "Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children. Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family."

In a statement, Archbishop Bernard said he was grateful for prayers and asked that they continue.

"I beg for the continued prayers of all of the priests and faithful of this Archdiocese, as well for the prayers of all men and women of good will, that the healing that only God can bring will be poured out on all those who were present at this morning’s Mass and particularly for the affected families who are only now beginning to comprehend the trauma they sustained," he said.

"My heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy and parishioners and the horror they witnessed in a Church, a place where we should feel safe," he said.

He noted that the shooting at Annunciation happened only a day after another shooting in South Minneapolis near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, where one person was killed and six were injured.

The back-to-back shootings "increases the sadness about the pain and anger that is present in our communities," he said. "We need an end to gun violence. Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent."

Archbishop Hebda said a prayer service has been scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 27 at Academy of the Holy Angels in Richfield, about 2 miles south of Annunciation.

Archdiocesan staff members, he added, "are working with the parish and school teams to make sure they have the support and resources they need at this time and beyond.