FBI Investigates Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting as Hate Crime

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 28, 2025 - Authorities continue to investigate Wednesday’s mass shooting at an all-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church, adjacent to Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, as a possible hate crime and act of domestic terrorism. Two children were killed and 17 others were wounded when a gunman opened fire through stained-glass windows just before 8:30 a.m., Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Westman, who legally purchased a rifle, shotgun and pistol used in the attack, had no prior criminal record, Chief O’Hara reported. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel announced the agency’s involvement, noting evidence suggests the attack targeted Catholics and will be treated as domestic terrorism.

Of the 17 injured, 14 were children between the ages of 6 and 15 and three were elderly parishioners in their 80s. All of the wounded are expected to survive, officials said. Witnesses described students and staff moving under pews within seconds of the first shots and evacuating to a nearby reunification zone organized by school personnel.

Investigators have recovered additional firearms and a smoke bomb at three locations linked to Westman, and they are reviewing a manifesto the suspect intended to publish online. No motive has been conclusively determined. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged unity and cautioned against exploiting the tragedy to stigmatize any community.

Annunciation Catholic School serves pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and holds its annual back-to-school Mass each August. Wednesday’s ceremony marked the start of the academic year and was attended by approximately 200 students, faculty and parishioners. The Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis has offered counseling services to survivors and families of the victims.

A stub article on Wikipedia titled “2025 Annunciation Church and Catholic School shooting” has been created to document the incident, but details remain limited pending further official reports.