The Federal Bureau of Investigation, (FBI) has confirmed that the Minneapolis school shooting, which left two children dead and 17 others injured, is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and an anti-Catholic hate crime.
Police identified the attacker as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who opened fire through the windows of Annunciation Church during a school Mass before taking his own life.
Pope Leo XIV said he was deeply saddened by the killings, while Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the assault as a deliberate act of violence against children and worshippers.
Authorities said Westman used multiple firearms and left behind a smoke bomb, though his motive remains unclear.
Survivors recounted harrowing scenes, including a 10-year-old boy who said his injured friend shielded him from bullets.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump offered condolences, ordering flags at the White House to be flown at half-mast, while Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the tragedy as another example of the gun violence crisis affecting communities across the United States.