Minneapolis Church Shooting: Survivor and Family Accounts

Survivor's Account of the Shooting

• 💡 A fifth-grader described hearing gunshots during Mass at Annunciation Catholic Church and hiding under pews.
• 📌 He recounted how his friend, who dove over him, was shot in the back and taken to the hospital.
• 🚀 The young survivor noted that while they practiced active shooter drills at school, they never expected such an event at church.
• ✅ He expressed relief upon being reunited with his mother, unsure if he would see her again.

Parent's Response and School Preparedness

• ⚠️ A father described hearing shots while on his deck and immediately driving to the school, armed with a non-lethal firearm.
• 🎯 He recalled the chaos upon arrival, seeing injured children, and the police arriving as he entered the church.
• 🧠 The father mentioned having previously worked with the school to install bulletproof film on the school's windows, indicating prior concerns.

Hospital Response and Family Concerns

• 🏥 Six patients were admitted to Children's Minnesota, a level one trauma center that trains for mass casualty situations.
• 👨‍👧‍👦 An 8-year-old girl was among those admitted, and her grandfather expressed relief that she was okay, but sorrow for others.
• 😔 The grandfather stated that people should not have guns and that his granddaughter did not deserve to go through this experience.
• ⚠️ Children's Minnesota requested the public avoid their emergency room unless absolutely necessary due to being overwhelmed.

Witness Account of Escape

• 🏃 A witness described seeing a man running frantically for his life away from the school.
• 💥 He heard approximately 15 to 20 gunshots in about 30 seconds and immediately drove away.
• 🆘 The witness picked up the man who said someone was shooting at him, noting his hands were injured from hitting the ground.