The Minneapolis school shooter fired at children through church windows. Here's what we know.
Investigators on Thursday were working to find more clues after a shooter opened fire at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis during a Mass attended by young students, killing two children and wounding more than a dozen other people. The shooter died by suicide at the church, which is attached to a school building.
Seventeen other children and adults were injured in Wednesday's shooting, which occurred during a Mass marking the beginning of the school year.
Here's what we know about the shooting.
What happened at Annunciation Catholic Church?
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said law enforcement responded to the shooting around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday morning. O'Hara said the shooter fired a rifle through church windows and was also armed with a shotgun and a pistol. The shooting occurred at the beginning of the Mass, O'Hara said.
A government official briefed on the investigation and a law enforcement source told CBS News that the shooter was wearing all black clothing.
An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old were killed while they sat in the pews. The parents of the children have been notified, O'Hara said.
Seventeen others, including 14 children between the ages of 6 and 14, were injured, O'Hara said. The three injured adults were all parishioners in their 80s, O'Hara said on Wednesday afternoon.
Police immediately entered the church and attempted to provide first aid, O'Hara said. The injured were rushed to area hospitals.
Hennepin County Medical Center received 10 patients and said one adult and five children were in critical condition. One adult and three children were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Children's Minnesota said it had discharged four patients and was treating three pediatric patients. It did not share the statuses of the patients it was still treating as of Wednesday night. M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital said it had one pediatric patient in stable condition.
All of the injured children are expected to survive, O'Hara said Wednesday afternoon.
Who was the shooter at Annunciation Catholic Church?
Three law enforcement sources told CBS News the shooter was Robin Westman, 23, from suburban Minneapolis. The shooter acted alone, O'Hara said. Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the back of the church.
The shooter recently bought the three guns legally and does not have any known criminal history, according to O'Hara. O'Hara told CBS News on Thursday that no law in Minnesota would have prevented Westman from buying the weapons.
The shooter visited the church weeks before the shooting and apparently conducted surveillance there, according to a Minnesota official and a federal law enforcement source with knowledge of the investigation.
O'Hara said police are executing search warrants at three residences connected to the shooter. "Additional firearms" were recovered during the searches, he said. O'Hara told CBS News that police are also searching electronic devices.
Officials search for a motive
O'Hara said he could not comment on any motive. He told CBS News that Westman was "deranged" and had an obsession with past shootings. Police have not identified a "triggering event" for the shooting, O'Hara said.
"This individual had a whole wide variety of hate to various individuals and groups," O'Hara told CBS News.
Investigators said they are aware of a video Westman had scheduled to post on YouTube as the shooting occurred. The police chief described it as a manifesto that included "some disturbing writings." The YouTube account and its videos have been taken down, and FBI investigators and other law enforcement officials are looking into them, O'Hara said. CBS News has reached out to YouTube for comment.
Westman appears to have attended the school, according to CBS News' Confirmed team. Westman's mother worked as a parish secretary at the church, according to its website, and as an administrative assistant at the school, according to a newsletter. She retired from the church in 2021, according to a Facebook post from the church.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.
Officials react to church shooting
President Trump said on Truth Social that he had been "fully briefed on the tragic shooting" and said the White House would "continue to monitor this terrible situation."
"Please join me in praying for everyone involved," Mr. Trump said.
On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Trump signed a proclamation calling for flags at the White House and other federal buildings to be flown at half-staff until Aug. 31 "as a mark of respect for the victims." The White House flags were lowered moments after the proclamation was signed.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he had been briefed on the shooting and was "praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence." Walz also said that he had spoken with Mr. Trump.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for change after the shooting.
"Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying," Frey said. "It was the first week of school, they were in a church. These were 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."