U.S. Flags Lowered in Honor of Minneapolis Shooting Victims

President Donald Trump has issued a proclamation directing that flags be flown at half-staff to commemorate the victims of a tragic shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Trump announced that all American flags on public buildings will remain at half-staff until sunset on Sunday.

“I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, August 31, 2025,” the proclamation stated.

Following the release of this proclamation, the flag atop the White House was promptly lowered.

The senseless violence unfolded on Wednesday morning during an 8:15 a.m. Mass, where two children, aged eight and ten, were killed, and the shooter took his own life afterward. A total of 19 individuals were reported as victims, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

The gunman has been identified by the FBI as 23-year-old Robin Westman. Reports indicate that he had shared a video on YouTube showcasing his magazines, which had alarming messages like “Kill Donald Trump” and “Where is your God?”

Despite these troubling signs, Chief O’Hara noted that there is still no confirmed motive for the attack, even with Westman’s connections to the church and school. O’Hara detailed the tragic impact of the shooting:

“Two were young children, ages eight and ten, that were sitting in the pews at Mass when they were shot and killed. They were pronounced deceased on the scene. There were another 14 children between the ages of six and 15 that were injured by gunfire. There were also three adults in their eighties that were parishioners here attending Mass that were also shot in this incident,” he explained.