Shock and heartbreak gripped Minneapolis this week after a gunman opened fire during a morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School, killing two children and injuring at least 17 others before turning the weapon on himself. The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, as families gathered to mark the first day of the new school year, transforming what should have been a moment of celebration into one of unimaginable loss.
According to police statements reported by Newsweek, the shooter—identified as a biological male who identified as transgender—entered the church during Mass and began firing indiscriminately. The victims included two children, aged just 8 and 10, whose lives were cut devastatingly short. Among the wounded were 14 other children, ranging from 6 to 15 years old, and three adults in their 80s. Seven of the injured students were initially listed in critical condition, but authorities later confirmed that all are expected to survive—a small mercy in the face of such horror.
The suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene, police revealed during a press conference. In the hours that followed, investigators discovered that the assailant had posted several disturbing videos to YouTube, including footage of firearms etched with messages calling for the death of President Donald Trump. The shooter’s gender identity became a point of confusion in early media coverage, with some outlets referring to the suspect using female pronouns despite police confirmation of biological sex.
The attack has reignited fierce debate over gun policy in the United States—a debate that, for many, feels as intractable as ever. David Hogg, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting and a prominent activist, appeared on CNN the day after the Minneapolis tragedy to deliver a scathing rebuke of President Trump and the political stalemate he believes enables such violence.
“Donald Trump has a trifecta. He has the power to pass gun violence prevention legislation. He has the power to save the lives of thousands of children,” Hogg declared, as quoted by Newsweek. “But I don’t think he will, because the NRA owns him. And he’s a coward.”
Hogg’s criticism did not stop there. Addressing CNN’s Pamela Brown, he argued, “The bottom line is this: Donald Trump has the power to do something about this. After Parkland he repeatedly said, you guys are cowards, you’re not gonna do anything ‘cause you’re afraid of the NRA. We need to do something about guns. That is what he said. And then he met with the NRA and did nothing. Why? Because he is a coward.”
Hogg’s impassioned plea extended beyond partisan finger-pointing. He urged Democrats to consider meeting Republicans halfway, focusing not only on access to firearms but also on the underlying causes of such violence. “Republicans love to only talk about why do they pull the trigger, right? Capability and intent. We need to talk about both—how do they get the gun and why do they pull that trigger at the same time,” Hogg explained. “If Republicans in Congress right now, where they have a trifecta, don’t want to talk about how somebody is getting a gun ... let’s talk about the intent.”
He further advocated for increased funding for research at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), arguing that gun violence—which he described as the leading cause of death for young people in America—has historically received scant attention. “You know what would be useful? Funding for research at the CDC and NIH. This is the leading cause of death for young people in this country right now. And historically, it has gotten barely any funding,” Hogg told CNN, as reported by Newsweek.
Hogg’s comments come amid ongoing tensions within the Democratic Party itself. As noted by Newsweek, Hogg, who briefly served as co-vice chair of the Democratic National Committee (DNC), has pushed for more aggressive support of progressive challengers and called for a reevaluation of how the party approaches gun reform. His group, Leaders We Deserve, has invested millions in these efforts, sparking debate over party neutrality and leadership.
Meanwhile, President Trump and White House officials responded to the tragedy with expressions of sympathy and promises of vigilance. On Truth Social, Trump wrote, “I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed these sentiments at a Thursday briefing. “We completely and totally understand the concerns of parents across the country. This tragedy is—it’s heartbreaking. As a parent myself, there are no words to describe the heartbreak these families must be enduring, which is why the president and the first lady have encouraged everyone to continue to pray for these families and these victims, and it’s why this administration is focused on removing public safety threats from our communities.”
Local leaders also weighed in, calling for more than just thoughts and prayers. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, speaking at a press conference, said, “We need to be doing more than talking. It can’t just be words. There needs to be action. And when we have seen school shooting after school shooting. We have seen churches get shot up by horrible actors. I think the impetus has to be on all of us as leaders to do a whole lot more, to recognize that we’ve got more guns in this country than we have people, and it’s on all of us to recognize the truth and the reality that we can’t just say that this shouldn’t happen again, and then allow it to happen again and again.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also expressed his sorrow on social media, writing, “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
The tragedy has also sparked debate over media coverage and gun terminology. During CNN’s reporting on the shooting, senior justice correspondent Evan Perez mistakenly claimed that semiautomatic firearms could fire “dozens of bullets” with a single pull of the trigger—a statement quickly challenged by Daily Caller News Foundation, which pointed out that semiautomatic firearms discharge one round per trigger pull, a fact readily available on numerous public resources.
Amid the political wrangling and media scrutiny, the National Rifle Association’s (NRA) influence remains a flashpoint. According to Open Secrets, the NRA contributed $868,651 during the 2024 election cycle, ranking 1,112 out of over 40,000 political organizations. For critics like Hogg, this financial clout continues to be a major obstacle to meaningful reform.
As Minneapolis mourns and families grapple with loss, the nation once again finds itself at a crossroads—caught between calls for action and the stubborn inertia of a debate that has raged for decades. Whether this latest tragedy will prompt real change remains an open question, but for now, the city’s grief is a stark reminder of what’s at stake.
