FBI Treats Minneapolis School Attack as Hate Crime Targeting Catholics

A mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis resulted in the deaths of two children and injuries to 17 others. 

Federal authorities are investigating the incident as a potential act of domestic terrorism and religiously motivated violence. The attack occurred at Annunciation Church during a morning Mass, police confirmed. The assailant, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, used a rifle, shotgun, and pistol to fire multiple rounds through the church’s windows. 

The shooting took place at approximately 8:30am on Wednesday, at the start of the school term, and coincided with a service attended by children aged five to fourteen. Westman died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Federal investigators, including the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are treating the incident as a hate crime targeting Catholics. FBI Director Kash Patel stated that the agency is pursuing the case under domestic terrorism protocols, citing evidence suggesting ideological motives. 

Materials recovered included a video containing inflammatory messages and religious slurs, alongside references to political figures and antisemitic rhetoric. The victims included two children, aged eight and ten, who were seated in the pews. Fourteen other children and three elderly parishioners sustained injuries, with several remaining in critical condition. Eyewitnesses described teachers shielding students and neighbours assisting the wounded.

Annunciation Church, located in a residential area of southern Minneapolis, functions as both a place of worship and a primary school. The attacker’s mother, Mary Grace Westman, previously worked at the school, though police have not confirmed any direct connection to the shooting. Court records indicate that Robin Westman legally changed her name from Robert in 2020, identifying as female.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the attack as an act of violence against children and worshippers, and urged the public not to conflate the suspect’s identity with broader transgender issues. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem referred to Westman as "a man, claiming to be transgender," while FBI Director Patel described the suspect as "a male" in his public statement.

Pope Leo XIV expressed his sorrow, calling the deaths "profoundly saddening." President Donald Trump ordered flags at the White House to be flown at half-mast and pledged federal support. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz lamented the frequency of such incidents. Investigators continue to examine the shooter’s motives and background.