‘Evil’ comes to Annunciation Church

Los Angeles, CA (News4usonline) – Tragedy struck Minneapolis on Wednesday morning when a 23-year-old gunman, identified as Robin Westman, opened fire inside Annunciation Catholic School during mass.

The attack left two children, ages 8 and 10, dead and injured 14 others, including three adults in their 80s. Authorities confirmed that Westman died by suicide at the scene.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Westman acted alone and carried out the assault using a rifle, a pistol, and a shotgun, all legally obtained.

My remarks from yesterday. Words aren't enough. We have more guns in this country than people. We can't just say that this shouldn't happen again — and then allow it to happen again and again. We must act. pic.twitter.com/0uUnm3Gean

— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) August 28, 2025

O’Hara stated:
“At this point, we know we have a total of 19 victims from this tragedy. Two young children, ages 8 and 10, were sitting in the pews at mass when they were shot and killed; they were pronounced deceased on the scene. Another 14 children, between the ages of 6 and 15, were injured by gunfire. There were also three adults in their 80s, parishioners attending mass, who were shot in this incident. The families of all affected children have been notified.

The coward who shot these victims took his own life at the rear of the church. That coward has been identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who had no prior criminal history. At this stage, we believe the shooter acted alone; there is no indication of other suspects directly involved.

Our investigators are working with other agencies and executing full search warrants—one for the church itself and three for nearby residences related to the shooter. Additional firearms are being recovered from those homes. We are also aware of a manifesto that the shooter released on YouTube. The content appeared to show him at the scene and included disturbing writings. That material has been removed with FBI assistance and is under active review by investigators.”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz addressed the tragedy:
“A community like Annunciation Church and School, committed to academics, service, and Catholic values—filled with children beginning their first days of school—should be a place of joy, curiosity, and learning,” Walz said. “Instead, they were met with evil, horror, and death. Too often we come to these unspeakable tragedies and say there are no words. There shouldn’t be words for these instances, because they should not happen. On behalf of all the people of Minnesota, our deepest sympathies go out to the families. I wish my words could ease their pain, but I know they cannot. This was a place founded on community, service, and family.”

Mayor Jacob Frey spoke on behalf of the community:
“Throughout the morning we have seen this extraordinary Minneapolis family step up in thousands of different ways—people with strength, resilience, compassion, and love for the families that have been forever impacted by this heinous act. We want to make sure that we’re doing everything possible for them right now. I want to give a special thank you to all of the faculty and teachers at Annunciation. The way they acted during severe threat and danger was nothing short of heroic. This is a tragic and horrible event that should never occur, and it would have been tragic if they had not stepped in, at times perhaps putting themselves in danger to protect others. As horrible as it has been, it could have been far worse.”

The investigation is ongoing, and authorities continue to urge anyone with information to come forward. Community leaders, families, and first responders remain focused on supporting the victims and ensuring safety in Minneapolis as the city grapples with the aftermath of this devastating attack.

Featured Image: Image Caption: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sits on steps of the Annunciation Church’s school as police respond to a reported mass shooting, Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)