The Annunciation Church and Catholic School community in Minneapolis is grieving after a devastating act of violence that claimed the lives of two young students and left 17 others injured. Authorities identified the victims as Emily Carlson and Jacob Ruiz, both children whose lives were cut short during a morning school Mass. The gunman, 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire through the windows of the church where students and families had gathered.
Westman later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound outside the building.Investigators revealed a deeply personal and tragic connection between the shooter and the school. Westman’s mother was an employee of Annunciation Catholic School, a fact that adds another layer of anguish to an already heart-wrenching tragedy.
Officials have not determined whether her employment at the school factored into Westman’s decision to target the church, though they continue to examine his writings and online activity for clues. A letter attributed to him surfaced online, expressing despair, hatred for life, and a desire for destruction.Inside the church, chaos and terror erupted as children and teachers dove under pews for cover.
Fourteen of the wounded were students, and several remain in critical condition. Parents rushed to the scene as first responders evacuated survivors and secured the area. The sense of safety once felt in the church and school community has been shattered.Minneapolis officials called the attack “one of the darkest days in the city’s history,” pledging full support to the grieving families and survivors. Vigils
