‘My friend laid on top of me, but got hit': Minneapolis shooting survivor recounts horror
A tragic shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school Mass left ten dead, including two children. The police labeled it a deliberate act of violence that disrupted a day meant for prayer. Fifth-grader Weston Halsne shared how a friend saved him by taking a bullet.
After the tragic shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school Mass, ten people, including two children, were killed. Police described the incident as a “deliberate act of violence” that shattered what was meant to be a day of prayer and community.
Among those caught in the attack was fifth-grader Weston Halsne, who recounted the moment a friend shielded him from the bullets. “He was shot in the back while protecting me,” Weston told CNN.
The shooting that occurred at Annunciation Catholic Church, which is connected to a school, was carried out by a gunman identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman.
Westman, armed with three legally owned firearms, fired shots through the church windows before taking his own life. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry, while President Donald Trump announced that US flags at the White House and all public buildings would be flown at half-mast until sunset “as a mark of respect for the victims.”
‘My friend saved me’
Recounting the horror, Weston Halsne said that he and his friend had nestled themselves under the pews in the church. His friend was shielding him when gunshots were fired from the back.
“They shot through the stained-glass windows, I think, and it was really scary,” Weston said.
Weston recalled sitting just two seats away from the stained-glass windows when the gunfire erupted. In that moment, he said, his friend stepped in to shield him.
“The first one I was like, ‘What is that?’… And then I heard it again and I just ran under the pew and covered my head.
“My friend Victor saved me though, ’cause he laid on top of me — but he got hit,” he said.
They hid under the pews for five to ten minutes before evacuating to the gym and locking the doors, he said.
His friend was injured and taken to hospital, he told WCCO.
“I was super scared for him, but I think now he’s okay,” Weston said.