A quiet morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis shattered in tragedy when a gunman opened fire through church windows during a Mass, leaving two children dead and 17 others wounded. The victims include 14 children, aged 6 to 15, and three elderly adults in their 80s. Though the injured are expected to survive, the loss weighs heavily on a mourning community still searching for answers.
The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, formerly Robert Westman, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Westman, a former student at the school and with family ties there, legally purchased three firearms—a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun—used in the attack. Authorities are treating the incident as a premeditated act of domestic terrorism and hate crime, with the FBI involved in the ongoing investigation.
Westman’s disturbing online posts and manifesto revealed deep-seated grievances and anti-Catholic hatred, though the exact motive remains unclear. With schools reopening soon, local police have increased patrols to reassure parents and community members still grappling with trauma.
As Minneapolis mourns the devastating loss, families are haunted by grief yet hold onto hope for the survivors while demanding justice and answers.
Photo credits: economictimes; aol; aa; http://www.aljazeera.com
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