A shooting at a school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says.
The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics, FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a post on X.
The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass. The attacker, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman.
Authorities have not yet released a suspected motive for the attack. A constant stream of mourners arrived at the scene on Wednesday night, some leaving flowers, reflecting a community in shock and anger that such violence erupted during a church service marking the new school year. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, expressed his sorrow for the young victims, noting he was profoundly saddened by the event.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara described the incident as a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping, highlighting the extreme cowardice of targeting a church full of children.
After calls to police began just before 08:00 local time, it was reported that the attacker approached the side of the church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms – a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. A smoke bomb was found at the scene, and police are currently investigating whether the shots were fired from inside or solely from outside the church, as no bullet casings were found within the building.
A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told WCCO, a CBS affiliate, that his friend saved him by lying on top of him. My friend got hit in the back; he went to the hospital... I was super scared for him, but I think now he's okay, he recounted.
The attacker's mother had worked at the school, and police discovered a note intended for online publication at the time of the shooting.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed possible hatred directed towards the transgender community, as the attacker identified as a female. Governor Tim Walz noted the incident reflects a growing issue of violence across the country and added that the situation is all too common.
In memory of the victims, Trump announced that the U.S. flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House.
The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics, FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a post on X.
The two children, aged eight and 10, were killed when an attacker opened fire through the windows of the city's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as children were celebrating Mass. The attacker, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman.
Authorities have not yet released a suspected motive for the attack. A constant stream of mourners arrived at the scene on Wednesday night, some leaving flowers, reflecting a community in shock and anger that such violence erupted during a church service marking the new school year. Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, expressed his sorrow for the young victims, noting he was profoundly saddened by the event.
Police Chief Brian O'Hara described the incident as a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping, highlighting the extreme cowardice of targeting a church full of children.
After calls to police began just before 08:00 local time, it was reported that the attacker approached the side of the church, which also houses a school, and fired dozens of shots through the windows using three firearms – a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. A smoke bomb was found at the scene, and police are currently investigating whether the shots were fired from inside or solely from outside the church, as no bullet casings were found within the building.
A 10-year-old boy who survived the attack told WCCO, a CBS affiliate, that his friend saved him by lying on top of him. My friend got hit in the back; he went to the hospital... I was super scared for him, but I think now he's okay, he recounted.
The attacker's mother had worked at the school, and police discovered a note intended for online publication at the time of the shooting.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed possible hatred directed towards the transgender community, as the attacker identified as a female. Governor Tim Walz noted the incident reflects a growing issue of violence across the country and added that the situation is all too common.
In memory of the victims, Trump announced that the U.S. flag would be flown at half-mast at the White House.
