Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US state of Minneapolis have described the terrifying scenes after an attacker opened fire on a church where children were celebrating Mass on Wednesday morning.
One young boy described being protected by a friend who got hit himself.
Two children were killed, and 17 others were injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet given a suspected motive.
Westman was reportedly a former pupil of the school adjacent to the church, and their mother had previously worked there. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, explained that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him. I was like two seats away from the stained glass window, he said. My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit. Weston noted that they practiced for shooting situations regularly but never in a church.
Local residents recounted their confusion upon hearing the gunshots, with many initially assuming it was construction noise. Witnesses observed children emerging from the church, some covered in blood. A neighbor recalled helping a frightened girl who pleaded, please hold my hand, don't leave me. Vigils were held for the victims, with many expressing their despair over the frequent occurrence of such tragedies in schools and churches across the nation. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz noted that this was an all-too-common occurrence, extending condolences and support from the federal government.
The FBI is actively investigating the shooting, analyzing the suspect's background and motives while offering assistance to local authorities. Westman had legally changed their name from Robert to Robin in 2020, reflecting their gender identity.
