U.S. President Donald Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff following a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that killed two children and injured 17 others on Wednesday.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the victims were aged eight and 10 and were killed while sitting in the pews. “Seventeen other people were injured, 14 of them children. Two of those children are in critical condition,” he said.
The suspect, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, allegedly acted alone and later died by suicide at the scene, according to O’Hara.
“He did not have an extensive known criminal record,” the police chief added.
FBI Director Kash Patel said the shooting was being investigated as “an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics.”
Patel confirmed the suspect’s identity on social media, adding, “There were two fatalities, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. In addition, 14 children and three adults were injured. The shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, a male born as Robert Westman.”
Officers responded to an “active police situation” at the church, which also hosts a school serving students from preschool to eighth grade. The Minneapolis Police Department said there was “no active threat to the community” once the shooter had been contained.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed the incident, saying the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and State Patrol were on the scene.
“I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence,” he wrote on social media.
Hennepin Healthcare, which operates hospitals in the Minneapolis area, said it was treating patients from the shooting.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi added, “Our prayers are with everyone involved in this tragedy. Our team will provide updates as we receive them.”
President Trump’s proclamation orders all U.S. flags flown at half-staff until Sunday at public buildings, military posts, naval vessels, and U.S. facilities abroad.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on ...
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating ...
Uzbekistan has unveiled plans to deepen economic ties with Central Asia and Azerbaijan, proposing shared artificial intelligence infrastructure, a ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
The Saudi-led coalition says it has carried out a series of military operations against Houthi targets in Yemen after attacks on two Saudi airports left three people dead and dozens injured.
Azerbaijan and the five Central Asian states have signed two key documents at the 8th Consultative Meeting of Heads of State in Turkmenbashi, formalising a broader framework for regional cooperation in transport, trade, energy, digitalisation and security.
It started with classrooms. Too many students, not enough teachers, deteriorating buildings and growing anxiety over what comes after high school. But within weeks, a movement that began outside French lycées had spread across the country.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on Russia's digital infrastructure.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Azerbaijan has made history at the 2026 World Judo Championships in Baku, claiming a record five medals and climbing to second place in the standings behind Japan as more than 620 athletes from over 90 countries compete in the Azerbaijani capital.
Riot police used water cannon and tear gas to disperse protesters in Brussels on Friday, 9 October, as students joined workers in a nationwide strike against government austerity measures and spending cuts.
Two Iranian men have pleaded not guilty in a London court to charges of allegedly gathering intelligence on the Israeli Embassy, Britain’s oldest synagogue and other potential targets on behalf of Iranian intelligence services.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment