ARI SHAPIRO, HOST:
In Minnesota, students at a Catholic school had their school day cut short by a tragedy today. A mass shooting killed and injured kids celebrating Mass at the adjacent Annunciation Roman Catholic Church in Minneapolis. At least two children died. Seventeen other people were injured. We're learning more about the shooter and the victims. Minnesota Public Radio's Peter Cox is with us now. Thanks for joining us.
PETER COX, BYLINE: Hi, Ari.
SHAPIRO: Tell us what authorities are saying. How have they described what happened today?
COX: So the mass shooting occurred at Annunciation Church and school in Minneapolis Wednesday, at the church. The church is right next to the school. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said late Wednesday morning that the shooting happened during the morning Mass, which was marking the first week of school, in which children and adults were worshipping. O'Hara said the shooter appeared to do most or all shooting from outside through windows. They had a rifle, shotgun and a pistol, and police say the shooter used all three, firing dozens of rounds. Police say it appears the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
SHAPIRO: And what more can you tell us about the shooter?
COX: So the director of the FBI, Kash Patel, said on X that the shooter has been identified. Quote, "the shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman." In 2020, Westman's mother applied to change the name of her 17-year-old child from Robert to Robin. In court documents obtained by NPR, the mother, Grace - Mary Grace Westman, wrote, minor child identifies as female and wants her name to reflect that identification. However, we do not know how the person currently identified, but the suicide note was signed as Robin.
SHAPIRO: Tell us more about the victims. This is a school for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. So those killed and injured were, many of them, very young. What do you know about them?
COX: Yeah, that's right, Ari. We're still learning more about the victims, but we know two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed as they were in the pews. Seventeen other people were injured, including adults and children. They were taken to two different hospitals in Minneapolis. An emergency room doctor at Hennepin Healthcare, one of those hospitals, said 10 patients were brought in, most of which were children. He said one adult and six children were in critical conditions and others had non-life-threatening injuries.
SHAPIRO: Minnesota's governor held a press conference this afternoon. The police chief and mayor held one earlier. What did they have to say?
COX: So it's been an emotional moment for them, as it had been for the whole community. Here's what Governor Walz had to say.
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TIM WALZ: We often come to these and say, these unspeakable tragedies, or there's no words for this. There shouldn't be words for these types of incidents 'cause they should not happen.
COX: And here's what Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said this morning.
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JACOB FREY: Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.
COX: And Minneapolis has witnessed other shootings this week, as well. But the fact that they were children in a school at this time was beyond troubling for the mayor. He said there are no words that can capture the horror and evil of this unspeakable act.
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FREY: These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence, and their parents should have the same kind of assurance.
SHAPIRO: Peter, has there been any response from the archdiocese?
COX: Yes, Archbishop Bernard Hebda, who leads the archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, thanked people across the world for their prayers for the victims and families who were affected by the shooting. He said, quote, "my heart is broken as I think about students, teachers, clergy and parishioners, and the horror they witnessed in a church, a place where they (ph) should feel safe." He also wrote about yesterday's shooting in Minneapolis near a Catholic school and called for an end to gun violence, saying these events are far too common. Hebda added that they need to work to prevent these tragedies from happening again.
SHAPIRO: This is obviously a breaking story, and I know you'll continue to update us as we learn more. Peter Cox from Minnesota Public Radio, thank you for your reporting.
COX: You're welcome. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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