On Wednesday morning in Minneapolis, Mike Garrity, 64, was walking home from the gym when he heard what he initially thought were construction noises. However, as he approached Annunciation Catholic Church, he witnessed the distressing aftermath of a shooting that occurred during morning Mass. At least a dozen children, some bloodied, were seen fleeing the adjoining school. The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, killed two children and injured 17 others, including 14 kids, before taking his own life.
One fifth grader, Weston Halsne, recounted the horrifying event, describing how he shielded himself under a pew while shots broke through stained glass windows. He noted that the school had practicing active shooter drills regularly, although they had never happened in a church setting. The incident left the tight-knit community in shock, prompting former interim pastor Rev. Bob Hart to express disbelief that such violence could occur in what he described as a supportive environment.
Nearby residents heard the chaos, with one mistaken for gunfire thinking it was a nail gun, and others rushed to safety. Law enforcement, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, began investigating the firearms recovered from the scene, although it remains unclear if Westman legally obtained them.
As parents rushed to the school to reunite with their children, emotions ran high. One father described receiving alarming texts about the shooting while at work and expressed his relief upon finding both of his sons safe. Rev. Erich Rutten visited the school to comfort distraught families, praying with them as they grappled with the tragedy that had unfolded in their community on the third day of school.
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