Authorities in Minneapolis are continuing to investigate the motive behind the horrifying shooting that left two children dead.
It comes after officials said suspect Robin Westman was fixated on the idea of killing children.
“I won’t dignify the shooter’s words by repeating them,” acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Joseph Thompson said at a briefing Thursday. “They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer.”
The two children shot and killed in the school shooting in Minnesota have now been named by their families. The first was identified as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, whose father gave an emotional statement to reporters on Thursday afternoon.
Shortly after, Harper Moyski was named in a statement shared on her parents’ behalf, which described the 10-year-old as “bright, joyful, and deeply loved.”
Westman, 23, was identified as the shooter who fired through the stained-glass windows at the church next to Annunciation Catholic School around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, as students were celebrating Mass at the start of the academic year.
The shooter’s mother, Mary Grace, has retained criminal defense attorney Ryan Garry, known for working with NFL star Colin Kaepernick on representing the George Floyd protestors.
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8-year-old killed in Minnesota church shooting is identified as father gives heartbreaking statement
Key points
- 10-year-old girl killed in shooting identified in statement from family
- Eight-year-old victim identified by father in emotional statement to press
- Shooter wanted to kill 'defenseless children' and was familiar with layout of church
- Uvalde families sent wreath in memory of victims
- Suspect's mom hires defence attorney
Nurse mom of Minnesota shooting victim was working in ICU when wounded daughter arrived
14:40
,
Oliver O'Connell
The mother of Sophia Forchas, one of the 15 children injured in Wednesday’s deadly shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, is a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit who was working at the hospital the morning when her daughter and others began arriving for emergency treatment.
Josh Marcus and Mike Bedigan report.
Locked church doors saved countless lives, police say
14:21
,
Oliver O'Connell
Police say locked church doors likely saved “countless lives” during the Minneapolis school shooting in which two children were killed and 17 others injured at Annunciation Catholic School.
The shooter, Robin Westman, 23, fired through church windows after failing to enter the building, leaving behind writings showing a “deranged fascination”, according to police chief Brian O’Hara.
The shooter had not been able to get inside due to the locked doors, Mr O’Hara said.
He said the shooter’s writings revealed hatred for “almost every group imaginable.”
Acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Joe Thompson, added that the attacker was “obsessed” with killing children.
“I won’t dignify the shooter’s words by repeating them,” he said. “They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer.”
'This has been a tough summer for Minnesota'
14:06
,
Sam Rkaina
The shooting at a Minneapolis church was not the first tragedy to hit the area in recent weeks.
Even as most categories of crime continue to fall in Minneapolis after a surge that followed the 2020 killing of George Floyd, the season has seen a spike in violence that repeatedly led to armored vehicles rolling through the streets carrying police in full combat gear.
The city was stunned when a man posing as a police officer hunted a series of state lawmakers in the Minneapolis suburbs in the early hours of June 14.
Police say Vance Boelter fatally shot former House speaker Melissa Hortman, 55, long one of the state's most prominent Democrats, along with her husband, Mark. He also allegedly shot Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, though both survived.
On Tuesday this week a shooter sprayed bullets on a sidewalk behind a Catholic high school, killing one person and injuring six.
And then two children were shot dead at a church the day after, in another tragedy that has left the city reeling.
"This has been a tough summer for Minnesota," acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said Thursday.
Pictures from interfaith church service as a community mourns
13:48
,
Sam Rkaina
Parents are conducting mass shooting drills at home
13:26
,
Sam Rkaina
Parents are holding mass shooting drills at their home to teach their children how to cope if it happens to them, CNN reports.
The news outlet spoke to Eeka McLeod, who has been teaching her seven year-old daughter Ella how to deal in the event of a life threatening emergency at school.
McLeod filmed the drill and posted it on social media, where it has been viewed 34 million times
“My perspective is... why are teachers responsible for this? This is my child. That is my responsibility,” she told CNN.
“And if she’s old enough to go to school and die - because our schoolchildren are dying - she’s old enough to know the truth.”
11 year-old caught up in shooting says 'mind keeps replaying it'
13:05
,
Sam Rkaina
An 11 year-old girl has described the horror of the Minneapolis shooting and how it has impacted her since.
Chloe Francoual had been looking forward to the first Mass of the new school term when the tragedy unfolded.
“It was supposed to be a really good day,” she told CNN. “We had all our stuff ready. We were so excited. Even people who didn’t like school were really excited.
“The teacher was in the middle of saying our prayers, and then we heard just one shot,” Chloe said. “I thought it was a firework like everybody else.
“I don’t feel that safe in the church anymore,” she replies. “You’re supposed to go to the church to feel safe. I don’t feel safe anymore in that church.”
Vice president raises concerns about country's 'mental health crisis'
12:38
,
Sam Rkaina
Vice president JD Vance has raised concerns about America’s ‘mental health crisis’ in the wake of the church shooting this week.
"We really do have, I think, a mental health crisis in the United States of America,” Vance said at an event in Wisconsin.
“We take way more psychiatric medication than any other nation on Earth, and I think it’s time for us to start asking some very hard questions about the root causes of this violence.”
Authorities continue to investigate motive of 'hate-filled' suspect
12:00
,
Sam Rkaina
Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said videos and writings the shooter left behind show that the suspect Westman "expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable.
"Investigators recovered hundreds of pieces of evidence from the church and three residences, the police chief said.
They found more writings from the shooter, but no additional firearms or a clear motive for the attack on the church Westman once attended.
Westman had a "deranged fascination" with mass killings, O'Hara said.FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the attack was an act of domestic terrorism motivated by hate-filled ideology, citing the shooter's statements against multiple religions and calls for violence against President Donald Trump.
Westman, who once attended the school and whose mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, left behind several videos and page upon page of writings describing a litany of grievances.
One read: “I know this is wrong, but I can't seem to stop myself.”
Police visited suspect’s home at least twice when they were a teenager: report
11:41
,
Sam Rkaina
Cops visited the home of Robin Westman on at least two occasions when the suspect was a teenager, according to a report.
Heavily redacted records obtained from the police department in Eagan, Minnesota by NBC News, show officers went to the residence on 26 January 2018 for a ‘welfare check of a juvenile”.
The name of the individual involved is blacked out.
Two years prior to that call, police records show officers attended the same address following a report of a “criminal offense” there.
All further details of the incident, except for the fact the case was closed, have been redacted.
No red flags raised over shooter, police say
11:10
,
Sam Rkaina
No “red flag” alarms were sounded over Minneapolis shooting suspect Robin Westman prior to Wednesday’s deadly incident, police have said.
A Minnesota state “red flag” law allows family members and others to ask authorities to have guns removed from a person they believe could be a danger to themselves or their community.
Westman was able to buy a rifle, shotgun and a pistol that were all used in Wednesday’s attack.
Authorities have said the guns were purchased lawfully and there is no indication so far in their investigations that any alerts over Westman’s behavior were raised.
“There is nothing in the investigation so far that would lead us to believe that anything was missed,” Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara said.
Victim's father urges people to remember his son
10:08
,
Sam Rkaina
The father of the 8-year-old boy killed tearfully urged the community to remember his son for his love of family, fishing and cooking.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.”
“Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life," Jesse Merkel said Thursday.
Suspect's mom hires defence attorney
09:49
,
Sam Rkaina
Robin Westman’s mom Mary Grace has retained criminal defense attorney Ryan Garry as investigations into Wednesday’s attack continue.
The attorney, who is known for his work with NFL star Colin Kaepernick on representing the George Floyd protestors, told Fox News he had been retained by Mary Grace.
“She is completely distraught about the situation and has no culpability but is seeking an attorney to deal with calls like this,” he said.
On Thursday, Minneapolis police said they had not yet been able to make contact with Mary Grace but they were trying to do so.
Who is Robin Westman? What we know about suspect in Minneapolis school shooting that left two children dead
09:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
New details are providing more insight into the shooting at a Minnesota church as police continue to probe the motive behind Robert Westman’s attack that was designed to “terrorize as many people as possible.”
“The shooter saw the attack as a way to target our most vulnerable among us while they were at their most vulnerable at school and at church,” U.S. Acting Attorney General for Minnesota Joseph Thompson said.
Westman, 23, dressed all in black and armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, fired through the stained-glass windows of a church adjacent to the Annunciation Catholic School just after 8:30 a.m., as children and teachers gathered for the first Mass of the year.
While a motive for the attack remained unclear Thursday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told MSNBC that there was “some degree of planning” that went into the shooting.
Read more here:
Watch: Father of 8-year-old victim in Minneapolis shooting makes emotional statement
09:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Robin Westman’s mother has not spoken to police
08:58
,
Sam Rkaina
Suspect Robin Westman’s mom has yet to speak to police in the wake of the deadly shooting, officers have said.
Mary Grace Westman worked as a secretary at the Minneapolis school her child opened fire at for five years before her retirement in 2021, according to a Facebook post and a church blog.
In a press conference on Thursday, Minneapolis police Chief Brian O’Hara said: "I know we have not been successful in talking to the shooter’s mother, yet, at this time.
“But there continue to be efforts made to get that done."
No reason to block firearms sale to shooter, officials say
08:45
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Officials say the shooter Robin Westman was legally allowed to buy firearms, as she had no criminal record, diagnosed mental health issues, or prior state commitments.
Despite concerning social media posts, authorities stressed that Minnesota law sets strict criteria for blocking gun sales, and no community reports triggered intervention before the attack.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions, said: “We need the help of the public and everybody else if there’s concerning social media behavior by anybody – or that there’s concern in their community – that they are contacting their law enforcement so that we can adequately address that in the process. That did not happen in this case.”
Police previously visited shooter’s home
08:26
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Despite a police visit to the shooter’s home seven years before yesterday’s mass shooting, no warning signs appear to have been raised as she accumulated an arsenal – including the rifle, pistol, and shotgun used in the attack on the church, the NBC News reported.
Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said authorities have no evidence that the shooter suffered from mental illness, and aside from a traffic violation, she had no prior police record.
“There is nothing in the investigation so far that would lead us to believe that anything was missed,” O’Hara said.
He said that Robin Westman, the shooter, was able to “lawfully purchase these weapons”.
Those hospitalized following Minneapolis shooting ‘largely stable’, says trauma doctor
08:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Dr Jon Gayken, a trauma surgeon at Hennepin Healthcare, said the nine patients hospitalized after the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, including five children, are “largely stable.”
“They are largely stable,” he said. “Overall, after I left the hospital this afternoon, I was happy with where the patients were at tonight.”
“We do drill for this. But nobody is really quite ready for the real thing because you’ve got to add the human emotion, the shock of it all.”
11-year-old survivor of church shooting says she is 'scared' and 'paranoid'
07:40
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Chloe Francoual, an 11-year-old survivor of the Minneapolis school shooting, says it has left her feeling “scared” and “paranoid”.
She described how she now wants to shut every open window she sees.
She told CNN she hopes Mass will no longer be held at the Annunciation church.
“I still feel scared,” she said. “I feel kind of like paranoid.”
“Every time I see, like, a window open, I want to close it. Because just, I don’t want it happening again. And what’s scary to think about is that ‘What if another person comes?’” she told the outlet.
“I really hope they don’t do Mass at the church anymore,” she said.
“Because I think they know that people will have like, really bad flashbacks of it. And they’re like scared to like walk in, and they’re like looking around like a shivering, like, shaking. And then I think that the school knows that.”
Second victim of Minnesota church shooting identified as ‘bright, joyful and deeply loved’ 10-year-old
07:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
The second victim of the deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday has been identified as Harper Moyski, age 10.
"We are devastated to share that our beloved daughter, Harper Moyski, was tragically killed in the recent school shooting,” parents Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said in a statement to media outlets. “Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her.”
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss,” the statement adds. “As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”
Earlier today, Fletcher Merkel, 8, was named as the other victim in the shooting, which also wounded 18 people, mostly children.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.”
Read more here:
8-year-old killed in Minnesota church shooting is identified as father gives heartbreaking statement
07:00
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
One of the two young victims of Wednesday’s deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school has been identified as Fletcher Merkel, age 8.
“Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son Fletcher away from us,” his father, Jessie, said at a press conference on Thursday. “Because of their actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.”
“Please remember Fletcher for the person he was, and not the act that ended his life,” his father added. “Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you, Fletcher. You will always be with us.”
Fletcher’s father said the young student enjoyed family, friends, fishing, cooking, and playing sports.
Read more here:
Locked church doors saved countless lives, police say
06:40
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Police say locked church doors likely saved “countless lives” during the Minneapolis school shooting in which two children were killed and 17 others injured at Annunciation Catholic School.
The shooter, Robin Westman, 23, fired through church windows after failing to enter the building, leaving behind writings showing a “deranged fascination”, according to police chief Brian O’Hara.
The shooter had not been able to get inside due to the locked doors, Mr O’Hara said.
He said the shooter’s writings revealed hatred for “almost every group imaginable.”
Acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, Joe Thompson, added that the attacker was “obsessed” with killing children.
“I won’t dignify the shooter’s words by repeating them,” he said. “They are horrific and vile, but in short, the shooter wanted to watch children suffer.”
Mayor calls for assault weapons ban
06:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Mayor Jacob Frey has urged immediate gun reform, saying “thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it” and calling for a statewide and federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
He said: “Thoughts and prayers are not going to cut it. It’s on all of us to see this through... We need to talk about the action and steps that need to take place.
“We need a statewide and a federal ban on assault weapons. We need a statewide and a federal ban on high-capacity magazines.
“There is no reason that someone should be able to reel off 30 shots before they even have to reload. We’re not talking about your father’s hunting rifle gear.
“We’re talking about guns that are built to pierce armour and kill people.”
Officers 'deeply affected' and 'overwhelmed', says police chief
05:40
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said many officers who responded to the school shooting are “deeply affected” and “overwhelmed with the horrors” they witnessed inside the church.
“It wasn’t just all of the children that were injured; there were lots of kids who had blood on them,” O’Hara said.
“And they are trying to determine who was injured, who wasn’t, who had blood on their clothes because it was the blood of another student.”
“It’s difficult just to try and deal with addressing the threat and ensuring there is no other threats to the children, trying to rescue them, trying to provide first aid, triage and care for those who are most seriously injured, while at the same time handing gauze and asking a child, ‘Here, just please hold this on the wound,’ as they are trying to transport and get help to these kids as quickly as possible,” O’Hara said.
Families of two victims share emotional tributes
05:20
,
Maroosha Muzaffar
The families of two children killed in the church shooting in Minneapolis paid emotional tributes to the kids.
Father of eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel, Jesse Merkel said: “Yesterday, a coward decided to take our eight-year-old son Fletcher away from us. We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming.
“Fletcher loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking and any sport that he was allowed to play,” Merkel added. “I hope that in time, our family can find healing.”
Another victim, 10-year-old Harper Moyski’s family – her parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin – also shared a heartfelt message.“Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her.
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss,” the statement said.
“As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.
“No family should ever have to endure this kind of pain. We urge our leaders and communities to take meaningful steps to address gun violence and the mental health crisis in this country,” the family added.
“Change is possible, and it is necessary—so that Harper’s story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies.”
ICYMI: Nurse mom of Minnesota shooting victim was working in ICU when wounded daughter arrived
05:01
,
Mike Bedigan
The mother of Sophia Forchas, one of the 15 children injured in Wednesday’s deadly shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school, is a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit who was working at the hospital the morning when her daughter and others began arriving for emergency treatment.
“Her mother, a Pediatric Critical Care nurse, arrived at work to help during the tragedy, before knowing it was her children’s school that was attacked, and that her daughter was critically injured,” according to a GoFundMe page that lists Forchas’ father Thomas as an organizer.
Read the full story here:
Watch: Father of 8-year-old victim in Minneapolis shooting makes emotional statement
04:40
,
Mike Bedigan
Nurse sat with distressed girl while she had CT scan, despite dangers
04:20
,
Mike Bedigan
After seeing a visibly distressed child about to undergo a CT scan following Wednesday’s shooting, a nurse at Hennepin County Medical Center sat with her throughout the procedure despite the danger of radiation exposure.
Safety protocols stipulate that medical staff should clear the room to prevent radiation exposure.
The nurse “put a little lead on, stayed there and held her hand and held her hair while she went through scanners so she didn’t have to go through alone,” Dr. Jon Gayken, one of the head trauma surgeons at Hennepin County Medical Center, said.
Several medical first responders — many of whom were stationed just blocks away from the church — have children enrolled at the Catholic school, officials announced on Thursday.
“Those are the types of things we witnessed yesterday,” Gayken added.
Recap: Who are the deceased victims of Wednesday's shooting?
04:00
,
Mike Bedigan
The two children who were killed in Wednesday’s attack have now been named by their families.
Eight-year-old Fletcher Merkel was described by his father in an emotional statement on Thursday as a kid who “loved his family, friends, fishing, cooking, and any sports he was allowed to play.”
“Because of [the shooter’s] actions, we will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him, and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he was on the path to becoming,” Jesse Merkel said.
Shortly after, 10-year-old Harper Moyski was named in a statement shared on her parents’ behalf.
“Harper was a bright, joyful, and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her,” the statement from Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin read, per CNN.
“Our hearts are broken not only as parents, but also for Harper’s sister, who adored her big sister and is grieving an unimaginable loss. As a family, we are shattered, and words cannot capture the depth of our pain.”
Shooter's journal 'had no message'
03:40
,
Mike Bedigan
While police previously described the writings of shooter Robin Westman as a “manifesto,” a close review by CNN found that the hand-written entries appeared to be more of a jumbled, stream-of-consciousness than any coherent plan or declaration of purpose.
“This is not a church or religion attack, that is not the message,” Westman wrote. “The message is there is no message.”
The shooter added: “I really just want a place to put my thoughts... I can’t talk to a therapist or family cause I will immediately be reported and put on a watchlist!”Westman had suffered from depression, as well as suicidal and homicidal thoughts for years, per CNN.
In pictures: Mourners gather to remember victims of the Minneapolis shooting
03:30
,
Mike Bedigan
Full story: Second victim of Minnesota church shooting identified as ‘bright, joyful and deeply loved’ 10-year-old
03:20
,
Mike Bedigan
The second victim of the deadly mass shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday has been identified as Harper Moyski, age 10.
"We are devastated to share that our beloved daughter, Harper Moyski, was tragically killed in the recent school shooting,” parents Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin said in a statement to media outlets.
Josh Marcus has the full story:
Watch: Minneapolis killer had deranged fascination with mass shooters, police say
03:00
,
Oliver O'Connell
How can parents cope with the anxiety of sending kids back to school in shooting aftermath?
02:40
,
Mike Bedigan
Sarah Jerstad, psychologist and medical director of outpatient mental health services at Children’s Minnesota, says it is understandable for parents to feel “very scared” in the aftermath of horrific events such as school shootings.
“This is a time when parents feel out of control. They recognize in these situations that they cannot always be there to protect their child, which underscores their feelings of being out of control,” she told MPR News.
“Parents need support too. That support may come from their community, friends, mental health professionals or other parents who have children in the same school.”
Jerstad adds: “Sometimes a parent thinks that keeping their child at home is the best way to ensure their safety. While this might feel comforting initially, it is not a long-term solution.
“It’s important to gradually ease back into normal activities and support each other through the process.”
In pictures: Tributes to victims of Minneapolis shooting laid at site
02:20
,
Mike Bedigan
