2 kids killed in shooting at Catholic school mass

Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis after shooting that left 2 kids dead — This was America's 146th school shooting of the year

(Image credit: Stephen Maturen / Getty Images)

What happened

A 23-year-old armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol killed two children and wounded 17 others Wednesday during a morning mass at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. The attacker barricaded at least two doors of the school's church from the outside before firing dozens of bullets through the stained-glass windows, then died by suicide, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said. "We don't have a motive at this time."

"The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible," O'Hara said. The children killed were 8 and 10. The other gunshot victims — 14 children ages 6 to 15 and three octogenarian parishioners — were expected to survive. School and city officials said teachers protected students and older kids shielded their younger classmates. "The pews saved lives and took a lot of bullets," youth minister Ellie Mertens told The New York Times.

The assailant, identified as Robin Westman, is believed to have attended the school, purchased the guns legally and "recently," had no criminal record and acted alone, police said. FBI Director Kash Patel said his agency was investigating the attack as an "act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics." It was also the "146th U.S. school shooting so far this year," Reuters said. "Don't let anybody tell you that it's not about guns, because it is," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) said at a vigil Wednesday evening.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.