On a day meant to mark the hopeful start of a new school year, tragedy struck the Annunciation Catholic School community in Minneapolis. As children gathered for morning Mass on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, a hail of gunfire shattered the peace, leaving two children dead and 21 others wounded in an attack that has since shaken the city to its core.
According to Minneapolis police and reports from ABC News and KSTP-TV, the shooter—a 23-year-old former student identified as Robin Westman—opened fire through the stained-glass windows of the school’s church. In mere moments, 116 rifle rounds tore through the sanctuary, targeting children and elderly parishioners alike. Eighteen children, ranging from 6 to 15 years old, were injured, along with three adults in their 80s who were attending the service. Two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, lost their lives.
"Yesterday, a coward decided to take our 8-year-old son, Fletcher, away from us. 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," Fletcher’s father, Jesse Merkel, shared in a statement provided to ABC News. The Merkel family described their son as someone who loved family, friends, fishing, cooking, and playing sports. They asked for empathy as they and the broader Annunciation community grieve and try to make sense of such a senseless act of violence.
Harper Moyski’s parents, Michael Moyski and Jackie Flavin, remembered their daughter as a "bright, joyful and deeply loved 10-year-old whose laughter, kindness, and spirit touched everyone who knew her." In their statement, they expressed hope that Harper’s memory would inspire others to work toward a safer, more compassionate world. "Change is possible, and it is necessary—so that Harper’s story does not become yet another in a long line of tragedies," they urged, calling attention to the need for action on gun violence and mental health.
As the investigation unfolded, police confirmed on Monday, September 1, that three more children had been identified among the injured, bringing the total number of victims to 21. Four patients—three children and one adult—remained hospitalized at Hennepin County Medical Center as of Monday, with one child in critical condition and the others in satisfactory condition, according to Hennepin Healthcare officials cited by KSTP-TV and AP. Children’s Minnesota had also treated a child over the weekend, though details about their condition had not been released.
The stories of those injured reveal a community marked by both heartbreak and heroism. Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas, in her first week as a seventh grader at Annunciation, was shot and critically wounded. Her mother, a pediatric critical care nurse, was on duty at Hennepin Healthcare when she realized her own daughter was among the victims. "Her road ahead will be long, uncertain, and incredibly difficult—but she is strong, and she is not alone," her family wrote in a GoFundMe update, as reported by AP.
Thirteen-year-old Endre Gunter Jr. was shot twice and underwent surgery. According to his aunt, he asked his surgeon, "Can you say a prayer with me?"—a moment that inspired the medical team. Endre is now recovering, though he remains concerned for his classmates. Nine-year-old Vivian St. Clair was shot multiple times while fleeing the church; her mother works at Hennepin Healthcare, where Vivian was taken for treatment. Eleven-year-old Genevieve Bisek was shot in the neck and spent time in the ICU before being released to recover at home. Lydia Kaiser was injured while shielding another child, her "little buddy," and her father, Annunciation’s gym teacher, helped secure the room and reunite children with their families.
Other children, including Victor and his sister, David Haeg, and ten-year-old Weston Halsne, were also wounded in the attack, each with their own stories of survival and resilience. Fundraisers for these victims and their families have sprung up across the community, with donations exceeding $780,000 as of early September, according to AP and KSTP-TV. The city of Minneapolis set up a text-to-donate line, and organizations like the American Red Cross and Memorial Blood Centers have called for blood donations to aid in the victims’ treatment.
Amid the chaos, teachers, parents, and students acted swiftly and bravely. Doctors and first responders hailed the students and staff as heroes for following their active shooter training and protecting each other as the gunfire erupted. Matthew Stommes, a parent who had just dropped off his children, described the confusion and terror as the shooting began. "We didn’t know what was going on for those first few seconds that seemed like minutes," he told AP. He and other parents carried injured children out of the church as emergency responders arrived.
Investigators have since uncovered journals written by Westman detailing weeks of preparation and a fixation on harming children. The journals, written in Cyrillic script, described the school as an "easy" target and noted the intent to wait until classes resumed to attack a larger group of children. Westman, who died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, had attended Annunciation Catholic School and had familial ties to the parish. Law enforcement found what appeared to be a suicide note expressing long-held plans, depression, and a confession of intent to carry out the attack. Federal officials referred to Westman as transgender, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey denounced hatred directed at the transgender community in the aftermath.
The shooting has sparked renewed debate over gun safety legislation in Minnesota, a state with a closely divided political landscape. While some community members and victims’ families have called for stronger measures to address gun violence and mental health, others have expressed concerns about political gridlock and the challenges of enacting change.
As Annunciation Catholic School remains closed, other Minneapolis schools have reopened with an increased visible police presence. The community continues to mourn, support the injured, and grapple with the aftermath of a tragedy that has left deep scars but also revealed remarkable acts of courage and compassion.
In the words of Jesse Merkel, Fletcher’s father: "Please remember Fletcher for the person he was and not the act that ended his life. Give your kids an extra hug and kiss today. We love you. Fletcher, you’ll always be with us."
