Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US city of Minneapolis have described the terrifying scenes after an attacker opened fire on a church in which children were celebrating Mass on Wednesday morning. One young boy described being protected by a friend who got hit himself.
Two children were killed and 17 others injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet provided a motive.
Westman was a former pupil of the school adjacent to the church, and the attacker's mother previously worked there. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, recounted how his friend saved him by lying on top of him when the shooting began. I was like two seats away from the stained glass window, he said, emphasizing the fear he felt during the incident.
Weston explained that while he and his classmates practiced for such emergencies regularly, they had never prepared for an attack in a church setting. The chaos ensued as Westman fired multiple shots through the church windows, reportedly utilizing three different firearms. Local residents described their confusion upon hearing the gunfire, initially mistaking it for construction noise.
Witnesses recounted the harrowing sight of children fleeing the church, some covered in blood, as the community began to grapple with the shock of the event. A vigil was held later that evening to honor the victims, highlighting the emotional toll of the violence.
In the wake of the tragedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commented on the prevalence of such violence, stating it has become an all-too-common occurrence not just in Minnesota but across the nation. In light of the event, statements from President Donald Trump expressed condolences, with promises of support for the affected families. The situation, compounded by the discovery of a manifesto tied to the shooter, points to deeper issues surrounding violence, identity, and safety in public spaces.
Two children were killed and 17 others injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet provided a motive.
Westman was a former pupil of the school adjacent to the church, and the attacker's mother previously worked there. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, recounted how his friend saved him by lying on top of him when the shooting began. I was like two seats away from the stained glass window, he said, emphasizing the fear he felt during the incident.
Weston explained that while he and his classmates practiced for such emergencies regularly, they had never prepared for an attack in a church setting. The chaos ensued as Westman fired multiple shots through the church windows, reportedly utilizing three different firearms. Local residents described their confusion upon hearing the gunfire, initially mistaking it for construction noise.
Witnesses recounted the harrowing sight of children fleeing the church, some covered in blood, as the community began to grapple with the shock of the event. A vigil was held later that evening to honor the victims, highlighting the emotional toll of the violence.
In the wake of the tragedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commented on the prevalence of such violence, stating it has become an all-too-common occurrence not just in Minnesota but across the nation. In light of the event, statements from President Donald Trump expressed condolences, with promises of support for the affected families. The situation, compounded by the discovery of a manifesto tied to the shooter, points to deeper issues surrounding violence, identity, and safety in public spaces.
