In a horrifying case on August 27, 2025, during a 6:30 a.m. Mass while in Annunciation Catholic School in South Minneapolis, a mass shooter began shooting worshippers at the church by shooting through stained-glass windows. The assailant fatally shot two children who were attending attending the neutral zone; an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, and wounded 17, people, the majority of which were children.

The attacker has now been identified by officials as Robin Westman, 23, was a former student and child of a person that worked at the school. Prior to taking his life behind the church, Robin legally purchased the rifle, shotgun, and pistol before the shooting. The FBI is investigating this attack as not just an act of domestic terrorism, but also as a hate crime towards the Catholic community.

Officials also said they had a manifesto of the suspect, and several disturbing pre-recorded videos (of violent imagery and hateful rhetoric) that had been posted online prior to the shooting that explored this mindset.

As word of what happened spread, local and national officials condemn and rallied support. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Governor Tim Walz, and other officials promised officials support and condemned the shootings. The President also ordered flags flown at half-staff, while the Pope expressed his spiritual condolences to the mourning community.