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 attending Mass on Wednesday morning.
One young boy explained how he was protected by his friend, who was hit during the incident. Tragically, two children lost their lives and 17 others were injured in what the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, subsequently died from a self-inflicted wound.
Westman, a former pupil of the nearby school, had a mother who worked there previously. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, shared with CBS affiliate WCCO how his friend bravely laid on top of him to shield him from bullets. I was like two seats away from the stained glass window, he stated. Weston noted that he and his classmates practiced what to do during a shooting each month, but they never anticipated such an event would occur in a church.
The suspect approached the Annunciation Church and fired dozens of rounds through the windows using three firearms. Witnesses described the confusion as they initially mistook the gunfire for construction noises.
As the scene unfolded, frightened children emerged from the church, some covered in blood. A local resident recalled a girl pleading for help, an image that has left a lasting impact. Hundreds attended a vigil for the victims, as the community grapples with the shock of the violence. Minnesota's Governor called the incident an all-too-common tragedy in America, while condolences poured in from various leaders, including President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.
One young boy explained how he was protected by his friend, who was hit during the incident. Tragically, two children lost their lives and 17 others were injured in what the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime. The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, subsequently died from a self-inflicted wound.
Westman, a former pupil of the nearby school, had a mother who worked there previously. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, shared with CBS affiliate WCCO how his friend bravely laid on top of him to shield him from bullets. I was like two seats away from the stained glass window, he stated. Weston noted that he and his classmates practiced what to do during a shooting each month, but they never anticipated such an event would occur in a church.
The suspect approached the Annunciation Church and fired dozens of rounds through the windows using three firearms. Witnesses described the confusion as they initially mistook the gunfire for construction noises.
As the scene unfolded, frightened children emerged from the church, some covered in blood. A local resident recalled a girl pleading for help, an image that has left a lasting impact. Hundreds attended a vigil for the victims, as the community grapples with the shock of the violence. Minnesota's Governor called the incident an all-too-common tragedy in America, while condolences poured in from various leaders, including President Donald Trump and Pope Leo XIV.
