What was supposed to be a joyful start to the new school year turned into a nightmare for families and parishioners at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis. On Wednesday morning, during the first school Mass of the year, a gunman opened fire outside the church, killing two children and injuring eighteen others.
The Mass had just begun when worshippers heard the opening hymn fade into silence. Then came the terrifying sound of gunshots. Many at first thought it was a prank, or perhaps firecrackers, but the truth became clear when the principal shouted for everyone to get down.
Inside the church, panic and fear spread instantly. Students, teachers, parents, and longtime parish members dove under pews, shielding one another from the flying bullets. Among those present was Cathrine Spandel, a 1973 graduate of Annunciation School and an active member of the parish. She described how she hit the ground the moment the shots rang out. “Even before the principal yelled, I was already down. I knew this was gunfire,” she recalled.
As the chaos unfolded, 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel were struck and killed. Merkel was sitting just a few pews away from Spandel. Fifteen other children were wounded, along with three elderly parishioners in their 80s. Authorities later confirmed that all the injured survivors were rushed to hospitals, and several remain in recovery.
The violence pierced the heart of a community known for its close ties across generations. For decades, Annunciation Catholic School has been a place where grandparents, parents, and children share the same classrooms and pews. Parishioners say the attack has shaken a place that had always been a safe and spiritual home.
Annique London, a mother of three daughters who have attended Annunciation, placed flowers at a memorial outside the church on Thursday morning. She said her family, like many others, feels devastated. “This community is generations deep. Families here worship, learn, and grow together. What happened has cut into the heart of who we are,” London said.
Others in the neighborhood shared the horror of what they witnessed. Tiffany Tomlin-Kurtz, who lives near the school, recalled hearing the gunfire while working from home. When she stepped outside, she saw parents running toward the church, even as bullets shattered the stained-glass windows. “The image I’ll never forget is of a mother running straight into danger, desperate to reach her child,” she said.
Inside the church, Spandel and others prayed for their lives. She clutched the hand of a children’s minister hiding under a pew nearby, and together they recited the Hail Mary through tears. “I asked God to forgive me for everything and to protect my family, because I was certain I was going to die,” she said.
Although the shooter never entered the church, he circled the building and fired through the windows, leaving behind broken glass, splintered wood, and shell casings scattered across the floor. “It seemed like it went on forever,” Spandel said.
Amid the chaos, acts of bravery emerged. Older children shielded younger ones, while adults guided terrified students to safety. Spandel remembered comforting an injured girl with a head wound until paramedics arrived. “She was triaged right away and taken to the ambulance. She survived, thank God, but no one knows what long-term effects she may face,” she said.
Police later identified the shooter as Robin Westman, though authorities have not yet revealed a motive. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers are continuing their investigation and pledged that the community will receive support in the aftermath of the attack.
For now, grief blankets the Annunciation community. Families have gathered at the church to mourn, pray, and support one another. The deaths of Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel are being remembered as tragic losses that will forever mark the parish’s history.
What began as a morning of worship has become a turning point for Annunciation Catholic School, a reminder of both the fragility of peace and the resilience of a community bound by faith.
