FBI investigates Minneapolis faculty taking pictures as anti-Catholic hate crime

[ad_1] Watch: How the Catholic faculty taking pictures unfolded in Minneapolis

A taking pictures at a faculty in Minneapolis that left two youngsters useless and 17 others injured is being investigated as an anti-Catholic hate crime, the FBI says.

"The FBI is investigating this taking pictures as an act of home terrorism and hate crime focusing on Catholics," FBI Director Kash Patel stated in a submit on X.

The 2 youngsters, aged eight and 10, had been killed when an attacker opened fireplace by the home windows of the town's Annunciation Church on Wednesday morning as youngsters had been celebrating Mass.

The attacker, who died on the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, was later named by police as 23-year-old Robin Westman.

Pope Leo XIV, the primary American pope, was amongst those that paid tribute to the younger victims, saying he was "profoundly saddened" by the assault.

Police Chief Brian O'Hara instructed reporters: "This was a deliberate act of violence in opposition to harmless youngsters and different individuals worshipping."

"The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing right into a church full of youngsters is totally incomprehensible," he stated.

Requested about Patel's remark, he stated the Minneapolis Police Division is main the investigation with help from federal businesses - and can pursue proof wherever it leads.

Authorities haven't but launched a suspected motive for the assault.

Police started receiving calls of a taking pictures simply earlier than 08:00 native time (13:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

The attacker approached the facet of the church, which additionally homes a faculty, and fired dozens of photographs by the home windows utilizing three firearms - a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. Police additionally discovered a smoke bomb on the scene.

Officers are investigating if the suspect shot contained in the constructing or if all of the photographs got here from outdoors the church, noting that no casings from bullets had been discovered inside.

"I might hear 'growth, growth, growth'," PJ Mudd, who lives near the church and was working from dwelling on Wednesday morning, instructed the Wall Avenue Journal. "It immediately dawned on me - it was a taking pictures."

He then ran to the church the place he noticed three journal cartridges on the bottom.

Watch: 'Minnesotans won't step away' after taking pictures, says Governor Tim Walz

A ten-year-old boy who survived the assault instructed CBS affiliate WCCO that his pal saved him from bullets by mendacity on prime of him.

"I used to be like two seats away from the stained glass window," he stated. "My pal, Victor, saved me although, as a result of he laid on prime of me, however he obtained hit."

"My pal obtained hit within the again, he went to the hospital... I used to be tremendous scared for him however I feel now he is okay," he stated.

The Annunciation Church, situated in a residential space of southern Minneapolis, teaches college students aged between 5 and 14.

The attacker's mom, Mary Grace Westman, beforehand labored on the faculty, in accordance to a college publication from 2016. A submit on Fb says she retired from the function in 2021.

Police discovered a observe that Westman scheduled to publish on-line on the time of the taking pictures. Investigators have since deleted the submit.

Westman's identify was legally modified from Robert to Robin in 2020, Minnesota courtroom data present. Within the software the choose wrote: "Minor little one identifies as a feminine and desires her identify to replicate that identification."

Talking at a press convention on Wednesday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey pushed again in opposition to hatred directed in direction of the transgender group within the wake of the assault.

In their very own updates, Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem stated Westman was a "man, claiming to be transgender", and in his submit on X, Patel referred to Westman as "a male".

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated President Donald Trump and his crew had expressed their "deep condolences" and provided help.

He stated the scenario was "all too widespread - not simply in Minnesota, however throughout the nation", including that he hoped no group or faculty ever needed to undergo a day like this.

Trump later stated the US flag could be flown at half-mast on the White Home as a present of respect to the victims.

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