Annunciation Shooting: Resources for victims, families and community members

August 29, 2025

City leaders, local law enforcement leaders, and emergency management officials talked about the heroic acts, community response and the City's commitment to preparation for mass incidents during a Friday news conference.

The effective coordination this week between the City, state, county, and community partners reflects our ongoing commitment to strengthening emergency management and crisis response since the events of 2020. The City has implemented procedures and protocols, conducted training, and established communication channels to ensure the right people are prepared to respond at the right time in any emergency or disaster.

“Our law enforcement partners did exceptional work on Wednesday, running straight into potential danger. Yet, Wednesday was so much bigger than the first responders alone. So many teams worked seamlessly behind the scenes, making sure the right people and resources were where they needed to be,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “We’ve also seen neighbors step up with donations, faith leaders open their doors for comfort and so many others showing love in every way – from all over the world. We see all of your support and appreciate it more than you know.”

As families prepare to return to school, the City is also coordinating with the St. Paul Police Department, Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement across the metro area to expand patrols around all schools within the city over the next couple of weeks. This also includes support from 14 Minnesota State Patrol troopers and six Department of Natural Resources enforcement officers who are assisting the City of Minneapolis. The responders will be organized into two-person squads, with two squads assigned per precinct across five precincts in Minneapolis, with a particular focus on schools and places of worship.

Office of Community Safety Commissioner Barnette speaks at the podium.
Office of Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette, alongside Emergency Management Director Rachel Sayre and Mayor Jacob Frey, spoke to the many heroic actions that saved lives during this week's tragic events.

"We all know that a lot of folks are hurting from this week's events, but we can find some small comfort as we hear of many heroic actions that took place this week to save lives," said Commissioner Todd Barnette, Office of Community Safety. "This reminds me that there is strength, resilience, goodness, and love for each other, which will all be needed as we work together and begin to recover from this horrible tragedy.

Watch the news conference.

Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Program

The Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Program provides financial help to victims, witnesses, and their families for losses incurred as a result of this incident. It can cover expenses like medical expenses, dental expenses, counseling expenses, lost wages, mileage to and from appointments, funeral and burial costs, survivor's benefits, home health care, and replacement childcare.

Anyone who was directly impacted by this incident should contact the Minnesota Crime Victims Reimbursement Program.

Prioritize Cash Donations for Annunciation Victims

The City is receiving reports that many organizations are offering material goods in response to the recent tragedy at Annunciation. While we appreciate the generosity, we strongly encourage prioritizing cash donations over material items at this time.

The Annunciation Hope and Healing Fund, organized by the Catholic Community Foundation, is the primary channel for financial support. The Minneapolis Foundation is assisting this effort by providing a text-to-give option, and all contributions will go directly to the Annunciation Hope and Healing Fund.

To donate:

Investigation details 

  • The victims: 
    • Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed in the Aug. 27 shooting. They were both students at the Annunciation School. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release identities as available. 
    • Fifteen other children, between the ages of 6 and 15, were injured.  
    • Three adult parishioners in their 80s who were attending mass at the time of the shooting were also injured. 
  • 116 rifle casings, three shotgun shell casings and one live pistol round were recovered at the scene.  
  • Video surveillance appears to confirm that the shooter did not enter the church.  
  • The practice of locking the doors once Mass began likely prevented a worse incident. At the same time, the suspect attempted to barricade a door from the outside, preventing exit from the church. 
  • Police have identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman. Police say the shooter, who took their own life, used three different firearms to carry out the act, and they believe Westman acted alone. The guns used in the incident were purchased legally. 
  • Four search warrants have been executed at the church and three other locations around the metro: South Minneapolis, Richfield and St. Louis Park. Hundreds of pieces of evidence, including writings, electronics, and no additional firearms have been recovered as part of these searches.
  • Police say a motive is still unclear. 

Mental health resources and opportunities to help

As school begins across the metro, parents, caregivers, and children may find the events of Aug. 27 difficult to process. Residents and community members without school-aged children might also be struggling.  Mental health resources and the Disaster Distress Helpline are available on the City’s website.

Resources: 

 

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