The chilling echoes of panic and desperation rang out across Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, as a school and church community faced unimaginable terror. Haunting 911 recordings revealed the chaos inside Annunciation Catholic School and Church, where a gunman unleashed horror that left two children dead, 17 others injured, and countless families forever scarred.
The First Calls for Help
The very first call to 911 captured a voice trembling with fear: “There are kids down, oh my God, please hurry.” Within seconds, other calls poured into the emergency center. Some came from teachers hiding with their students, whispering into their phones so as not to alert the shooter. Others came from parishioners who had gathered in the church, now turned into a deadly trap.
“Bring all the gauze you have,” one paramedic shouted into the radio, their plea preserved forever in the haunting audio. Dispatchers tried to maintain calm, coordinating police, ambulances, and fire rescue teams as chaos consumed the normally quiet south Minneapolis neighborhood.
The Attack Unfolds
Authorities later confirmed that the shooter was 23-year-old Robin Westman, a Minneapolis native with a troubled past. At approximately 10:15 a.m., Westman entered Annunciation Catholic Church, a historic building adjoining the school. Armed with a semi-automatic rifle and carrying multiple magazines, he quickly barricaded the church doors before firing indiscriminately.
Bullets shattered stained-glass windows, raining shards of colored glass onto pews where parishioners had once prayed in peace. Some of those windows, crafted more than a century ago, became portals of horror as Westman fired through them at officers trying desperately to gain entry.
Children in classrooms adjacent to the church screamed as the gunfire reverberated through the walls. Teachers locked doors, huddled students into corners, and whispered reassurances they barely believed themselves.
The Victims
By the time the gunfire ceased, two children had lost their lives: an 8-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl, both students at Annunciation Catholic School. Their names, withheld initially, were later released after their families gave consent, sparking an outpouring of grief across Minneapolis.
Seventeen others sustained injuries—ranging from bullet wounds to lacerations caused by flying glass. Many of the wounded were children. Parents rushed to nearby hospitals, desperate for word about their sons and daughters. Some arrived to joyous reunions; others were met with heartbreak.
“It was like a war zone,” recalled paramedic Laura Jensen, who was among the first responders. “We trained for this, but nothing prepares you for kneeling next to a child, trying to stop bleeding, while hearing more gunfire just feet away.”
The Shooter’s Motives
In the aftermath, investigators began piecing together the motives of Robin Westman. At Westman’s small Minneapolis apartment, authorities discovered a manifesto—dozens of handwritten pages filled with rage, paranoia, and disturbing fantasies.
The writings revealed Westman’s obsession with past school shootings, referencing Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Parkland as though they were legendary battles to be studied and admired. He wrote about his hatred of organized religion, particularly the Catholic Church, and expressed deep anger toward former President Donald Trump, whom he blamed for fueling divisions in the country. Most chillingly, he wrote about his desire for notoriety, declaring, “When they speak my name, I’ll finally exist.”
Alongside the manifesto were videos—grainy, self-recorded monologues where Westman ranted about conspiracies, waved his rifle in front of the camera, and rehearsed his attack. These videos, according to law enforcement, resembled “practice runs” for the violence he would later unleash.
A Troubled Life
Neighbors described Westman as a quiet but troubled young man. “He kept to himself,” said one resident of the apartment complex. “Sometimes we’d hear yelling through the walls, but he never really talked to anyone.”
Former classmates remembered him as isolated, often bullied in middle school, and struggling with mental health issues in high school. Records later confirmed that Westman had been hospitalized multiple times for psychiatric concerns, though privacy laws prevented disclosure of specific diagnoses.
Family members admitted he had grown distant. “He wouldn’t answer calls anymore,” one cousin shared. “We knew he was angry, but we never thought he’d do something like this.”
A Community Shattered
The Annunciation community, tightly knit and centered around faith, was left devastated. Vigils were held within hours of the attack. Hundreds gathered outside the church, holding candles and praying as tears streamed down their faces.
“I lost two of my classmates,” whispered a young boy at the vigil, clutching his mother’s hand. “I don’t understand why.”
Teachers described acts of heroism among students. One 12-year-old reportedly led younger children out through a side door while bullets shattered nearby windows. A kindergarten teacher shielded her students with her own body, sustaining minor injuries but saving lives.
The principal, voice trembling with emotion, addressed the community: “Our hearts are broken, but our spirit remains. We will honor the children we lost by refusing to let hate define us.”
The Law Enforcement Response
Minneapolis police and SWAT teams arrived within minutes of the first 911 calls. Officers attempted to breach the church, but Westman had fortified the doors and continued firing outward. Negotiators tried repeatedly to establish contact, but Westman refused to respond.
The standoff lasted nearly 40 minutes. Then, suddenly, the gunfire ceased. Officers entered cautiously, finding Westman dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His rifle lay beside him.
“It was the most intense scene I’ve ever walked into,” said Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. “We trained for scenarios like this, but to see it unfold in a place of worship, with children involved—it’s every officer’s nightmare.”
The Haunting Audio
The release of the 911 audio added a visceral layer to the tragedy. Parents sobbed as they listened to terrified children whispering to dispatchers, trying to describe their locations. The sound of gunfire crackled in the background of some calls. In one particularly harrowing clip, a teacher’s voice broke as she whispered, “Please don’t let them die.”
Another recording featured the urgent command from a medic: “Bring all the gauze you have.” That line quickly became a haunting refrain, repeated in news broadcasts and online discussions as a symbol of both the horror and the heroism of that day.
Political and Social Repercussions
Within hours, political leaders across the nation weighed in. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the shooting “an unspeakable tragedy” and vowed to push for stronger gun safety measures. President Joe Biden issued a statement from the White House, offering condolences and promising federal support for victims and investigators.
Yet the tragedy also reignited America’s bitter debate over guns. Advocates for gun reform demanded immediate action, pointing to Westman’s ability to legally acquire a semi-automatic rifle despite a history of mental health struggles. Gun rights supporters, meanwhile, cautioned against “politicizing a tragedy.”
Social media erupted in grief and anger. Hashtags like #AnnunciationStrong and #NeverAgain trended nationwide. Survivors of past school shootings expressed solidarity, some even traveling to Minneapolis to attend vigils.
Trauma That Lingers
Psychologists warn that the trauma of such an event will reverberate for years. Children who survived may struggle with nightmares, anxiety, and survivor’s guilt. Teachers and parents will wrestle with their own scars.
“This is not something you just recover from,” explained Dr. Rachel Meyer, a trauma specialist at the University of Minnesota. “Children will need long-term counseling. Communities will need ongoing support. Healing is possible, but it requires patience, resources, and compassion.”
Already, local nonprofits have mobilized to provide grief counseling, therapy dogs, and safe spaces for children to process their emotions. Donations poured in from across the country to support medical expenses and funeral costs.
Searching for Meaning
As Minneapolis mourns, questions remain. Could this tragedy have been prevented? Should warning signs about Westman have prompted intervention? Did gaps in the mental health system and gun laws combine to create a deadly outcome?
Investigators continue to sift through evidence, hoping to piece together not only what happened but why. Meanwhile, families cling to memories of the children they lost.
At one funeral, a grieving mother spoke through tears: “She loved to sing in church. She loved to laugh. Now her voice is gone, but we will carry her song in our hearts forever.”
A Nation Haunted
The haunting 911 audio from Annunciation Catholic School and Church has joined a growing archive of America’s darkest moments. Like Sandy Hook, Parkland, and Uvalde before it, Minneapolis now bears the weight of tragedy.
As the community lights candles and whispers prayers, one truth resounds: The pain is real, the scars are deep, and the voices captured on those 911 calls will haunt Minnesota—and America—for years to come.