In Washington, D.C. — President Donald Trump has ordered that all American flags be flown at half-staff at the White House and at public buildings, military facilities, and naval stations around the country until sunset on Sunday, August 31. This is a sign of national grief. The order is in memory of the people who died in a terrible mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
The tragedy happened during a Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday morning. Two kids, ages eight and ten, were killed. Seventeen other people were hurt, including 14 kids and three adults. Seven of the injured are said to be in very bad shape.
President Trump said in an official statement from the White House, “I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff… as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on August 27, 2025, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The order also applies to all U.S. embassies, consulates, and other facilities in other countries.
Brian O’Hara, the chief of police in Minneapolis, said that the shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died from a gunshot wound he gave himself at the site. Westman was said to have a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol and shot through the church windows at the kids and worshippers inside. The police chief said that Westman didn’t have a long criminal record and bought the guns legally. However, he also said that the gunman had planned to upload a video manifesto on YouTube at the time of the incident.
The FBI is looking into the shooting as both a hate crime against Catholics and an act of domestic terrorism. Jacob Frey, the mayor of Minneapolis, said he was sad and said the kids were “literally in a church praying.” He told people to focus on the victims and not use the tragedy to foment hate against any group.