Mass shooting in Minneapolis

Mass shooting in church in the USA – two children killed

A mass shooting has occurred in a church adjacent to a Catholic school in Minneapolis in the USA.

Two children, eight and ten years old, were killed. This was stated by local authorities at a press conference. 17 people were injured, 14 of whom were children. Two of these have life-threatening injuries.

The shooting took place during a morning prayer for students at the school. The shooter, a man in his 20s, opened fire through the church window. He was armed with several weapons, and shot himself dead after the act.

The background and motive of the shooter are still unknown.

– Don't talk about thoughts and prayers right now. These children were praying, literally speaking. They were in church, says Mayor Jacob Frey.

23-year-old Robin Westman behind church shooting

Robin Westman, 23, has been identified as the shooter in the Minneapolis church shooting. Police sources told a number of American media outlets.

According to NBC's sources, she had posted clips online that showed notes about "extremely violent thoughts and ideas," suicidal thoughts, an apology to her family and a hand-drawn drawing of the inside of a church.

Westman was carrying several weapons when she shot at schoolchildren through the church windows during high mass. Two of them, aged eight and ten, were killed. Another 14 children and three adults were injured. Westman shot himself after the attack.

The exact motive and connection to the school is unknown, but Westman's mother is said to have worked there, Fox 9 reports.

Westman was previously named Robert Westman, but changed his name in 2020 and came out as a transgender woman, according to documents the channel has seen.

FBI: Investigated as terror and hate crime against Catholics

FBI Director Kash Patel has commented on the Minneapolis mass shooting in a post on X.

"The FBI is investigating the shooting as domestic terrorism and a hate crime against Catholics," he writes.

He also confirms that the shooter has been identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman.

Two children, eight and ten years old, were killed when Westman opened fire through the window of a church during morning prayers. The church is adjacent to a Catholic school and was full of students who had just started school.

14 children and three adults were injured.