Minneapolis Catholic School Armed Attack (2025)

The Minneapolis Catholic School Armed Attack was an attack that occurred on August 27 2025 at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School in the city of Minneapolis in the U.S. state of Minnesota. In the attack two children aged 8 and 10 lost their lives and 17 people were injured including 14 children.

At the end of the incident the attacker took his own life at the rear of the church. Authorities have stated that the attacker acted alone and that no other suspects are involved.

Course of the Attack

The attack began in the early morning hours of Wednesday August 27 2025 when students had gathered at the Annunciation Catholic Church and School for a communal service. Between 08.00 and 08.30 local time the attacker Robin Westman approached the side of the church and opened fire through its stained glass windows.

Westman was found to be wearing black clothing and carrying three separate firearms—a rifle a shotgun and a handgun. A smoke bomb was also discovered at the scene. Authorities reported that the attacker fired dozens of rounds with the gunfire directed at children and elderly congregants seated in the pews. Witnesses recorded that those inside took cover behind the pews and that some older students attempted to shield younger children.

Police determined after the attack that at least two exit doors had been barricaded from the outside with wooden planks. This hindered the evacuation of those inside. The incident ended shortly afterward when the attacker moved to the rear of the church and took his own life.

Police and emergency response teams quickly arrived at the scene established a security perimeter and urged the public to stay away. The injured were transported by emergency medical teams to nearby hospitals and the FBI launched an investigation classifying the attack as a “hate crime against Catholics and an act of domestic terrorism.”

Deaths and Injuries

As a result of the attack two children aged 8 and 10 lost their lives. Authorities confirmed that 17 people were injured 14 of whom were children. The three injured adults were identified as members of the church congregation in their eighties.

Thomas Wyatt Chief of Emergency Medicine at Hennepin County Medical Center stated that seven children aged between 6 and 14 were brought to the hospital and that four of them underwent surgery. The condition of two of the injured children was reported as critical. Other injured individuals were transported to different nearby hospitals. Official authorities stated that all injured are expected to survive.

Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the attack had caused Minneapolis to endure an “unthinkable tragedy” and that families present at the church had suffered profound trauma.

Identity of the Attacker

The attacker’s identity was confirmed by the Minneapolis Police Department as Robin Westman aged 23. According to Minnesota court records Westman was born in 2002 under the name Robert and legally changed his name to Robin in 2020.

Connections between Westman and the Annunciation Catholic School were established. A 2017 yearbook published by the Minneapolis Star Tribune showed that Westman had been a student at the school. Local news source KARE11 reported that Westman visited the school one week before the start of the new academic year when teachers were preparing for the term. Westman’s mother Mary Grace Westman had worked at the school in 2016 and retired in 2021.

Police confirmed that all three firearms used in the attack were legally purchased. Additional weapons were seized from the attacker’s residence. Authorities stated that Westman had no significant criminal record. A manifesto was discovered to have been prepared on YouTube to be published at the same time as the attack.

Investigation and Reviews

In the aftermath of the attack the Minneapolis Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) launched a comprehensive investigation. The incident is being examined both as “domestic terrorism” and as a “hate crime against Catholics.” FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the attack is being assessed at the federal level as both a terrorist act and a hate crime.

Authorities determined that the attacker planned to publish an online manifesto coinciding with the timing of the attack. The manifesto was uploaded to YouTube but was removed shortly thereafter following intervention by the FBI. The document contained statements expressing the attacker’s suicidal tendencies and inclination toward violence. Additionally, handwritten notes left by Westman were found to mention depression, anger, and suicidal thoughts, as well as admiration for perpetrators of past mass attacks.

Authorities concluded that the attack was an isolated act carried out by the attacker alone. No evidence has been found pointing to any other suspect or organizational connection.

Official Responses

Following the attack, statements were issued by local, state, federal, and religious authorities.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that the attack was “a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and worshippers.” O’Hara confirmed that two children lost their lives in the church pews, 17 people were injured, and the attacker died by suicide at the rear of the church. He emphasized that the incident reflected “the absurd cruelty of opening fire in a church filled with children.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey warned against societal polarization in the wake of the tragedy. Frey stated that attempts to blame the transgender community or any other group following the event would amount to a loss of humanity. He also highlighted that the children were attacked while praying and stressed that expressions of “condolences and prayers” alone were insufficient.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in a statement on social media, said he prayed for the children and teachers, and noted that President Donald Trump and his team had extended their condolences and offered assistance.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a statement on Truth Social, said he had been briefed on the incident, that the FBI had responded swiftly, and that the White House was closely monitoring developments. Trump also ordered that flags across all federal buildings, military bases, and U.S. embassies be flown at half-staff until sunset on August 31, 2025.

FBI Director Kash Patel characterized the attack as “an act of domestic terrorism targeting Catholics.” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described the attacker as “a man who claimed to be transgender” and framed the incident as an assault “targeting children at prayer.”

Pope Leo XIV sent a message of condolence from the Vatican. The Pope described the attack as a “terrible tragedy” and expressed his prayers for the victims during this difficult time.