A brave middle school student in Minneapolis acted heroically during a tragic shooting incident on Wednesday, protecting younger classmates as part of their school’s “buddy system.”
At Annunciation Catholic School, older students have long helped out younger ones, guiding them through their experiences in church. Michael Burt, a father of five enrolled there, shared, “For instance, seventh graders pair up with first and third graders. They walk to church together, holding hands, and sit beside them to teach them what to do.” He spoke about this on NPR.
Video footage taken by parents showed students running away from the church while older kids rushed toward the exit. Many of the younger students appeared visibly shaken and were seen crying as they fled for safety.
The gunman, Robin Westman, tragically took the lives of two students and injured 18 others, primarily between the ages of 6 and 15. The two victims were identified as 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moysky.
Burt praised the quick thinking of the middle schoolers, who acted to shield their younger peers when the shooting started. “Initially, they pushed their classmates down beneath the pews,” he recounted. “These middle schoolers demonstrated incredible heroism.”
Matthew DeBoer, the school principal, also commended the older students and teachers present during the ordeal. “Adults were protecting children, and older kids were safeguarding the younger ones,” he explained. “Without their brave actions, the situation could have been much worse.”
Marty Scheerer, chief of Hennepin Emergency Medical Services, noted that one student was shot while trying to shield another.
After the incident, Robin Westman, identified as transgender, was reported to have died from self-inflicted injuries. The 23-year-old had targeted the school he once attended, and his mother, Mary Grace Westman, served as parish chief. She has not cooperated with police during the investigation, reportedly seeking legal counsel instead.
According to her attorney, “She’s really distraught and feels she’s not at fault in this situation, but she’s looking for help.”
Mary Grace had approved her son’s legal name change from Robert to Robin in 2020, indicating her support for his gender transition. In a manifesto posted online, Robin expressed feelings of having “brainwashed” himself and shared thoughts about his journey with his identity.
