Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting: Protecting and Supporting Our Children
On August 27, 2025, tragedy struck the Annunciation Catholic Church and School community in Minneapolis. What should have been a day of faith, laughter, and the return to the school year turned into horror when a gunman opened fire during a morning Mass filled with children, parents, teachers, and parishioners. Two children—just 8 and 10 years old—were killed, and more than 20 others were injured before the gunman took their own life.
Families, survivors, and the entire Minneapolis community are left grappling with the unthinkable. For many of us across the country, this tragedy is not just another news story—it is a painful reminder that violence can reach even the most sacred spaces, and that our children deserve a world far safer than the one they are inheriting.
At the Trauma Survivors Foundation, our mission is rooted in helping individuals, families, and first responders heal from trauma. In this blog, we want to offer both practical guidance on keeping children safe and support for parents on how to talk to children about events like this. These conversations are hard, but they are necessary.
How We Can Keep Our Children Safe
1. Strengthening Safety in Schools and Communities
In Minneapolis, the quick response of teachers and students—who had practiced active shooter drills—saved lives. But it also revealed gaps. Some exits were blocked in panic, making escape more difficult. The lesson here is clear: drills and emergency preparedness must be paired with safe, accessible exit routes, effective communication systems, and trauma-informed training for educators and staff.
Communities can also advocate for schools to partner with local law enforcement and mental health agencies to run regular safety assessments. Safety doesn’t mean turning schools into fortresses—it means building environments where prevention, quick response, and emotional care coexist.
2. Policy and Advocacy: Beyond “Thoughts and Prayers”
After the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for a ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Leaders across faith and political lines echoed similar pleas. No matter one’s stance on politics, the reality remains: access to high-powered weapons makes tragedies like this far more deadly.
Advocating for stronger gun safety laws, universal background checks, and safe firearm storage is not just a political statement—it’s a public health imperative. Communities that combine responsible gun ownership with common-sense safety measures give children a stronger chance at safety.
3. Fostering Prevention Through Mental Health and Education
Many school shootings in the U.S. involve firearms taken from homes. Others are carried out by individuals struggling with untreated mental health conditions. Prevention means:
Expanding mental health support in schools—not just after tragedy, but as an everyday resource.
Teaching children to recognize warning signs in themselves and peers, and giving them trusted adults and safe systems to share concerns.
Building peer support and empathy programs that emphasize kindness, inclusion, and resilience.
Nonprofits like Sandy Hook Promise and Rachel’s Challenge have shown us that prevention education works. We must follow their lead.
How to Talk to Children About Tragedies Like This
For many parents, the hardest part of tragedies like the Minneapolis shooting is facing their child’s questions: “Why would someone do this?” “Am I safe?”
Children deserve honesty, reassurance, and tools to process their emotions. Here’s how we can approach these conversations.
1. Be Honest, But Age-Appropriate
Young children don’t need graphic details. Instead, use simple truths: “Someone hurt people at a school and church. It was very sad, and adults are working to keep everyone safe.” Older children may already know more from social media—be ready to fill in gaps with facts and perspective, rather than letting misinformation grow.
2. Validate Their Feelings
Fear, anger, sadness, even numbness—these are all normal. Let your child know it’s okay to feel these things. A phrase as simple as, “I know this is scary. I feel sad too,” opens the door to healing.
Watch for changes in behavior. Nightmares, regression, separation anxiety, or irritability may all be signs that your child needs extra support. Don’t hesitate to reach out to school counselors, pediatricians, or mental health professionals.
3. Rebuild a Sense of Safety
Children need to know the adults in their world are protecting them. Share what safety measures their school uses. Reassure them that teachers, police, and community members train to keep kids safe. Emphasize routines—homework, soccer practice, family dinners—as anchors in uncertain times.
Highlight stories of courage and kindness from the tragedy. In Minneapolis, students helped one another hide, staff shielded children, and first responders rushed in within minutes. Sharing these acts of bravery helps children see that even in darkness, there is light.
4. Empower Through Hope and Action
Children often feel powerless after hearing about violence. Give them small, meaningful actions: drawing cards for survivors, attending vigils, practicing kindness toward classmates, or simply sharing how they feel.
Remind them that healing is a community effort, and that their voices, compassion, and resilience matter.
Moving Forward Together
The Minneapolis Catholic School shooting will remain in our hearts for years to come. It shattered a community, broke families, and shook the faith of many. But in grief, there is also a call to action: to protect our children, to advocate for safer communities, and to nurture resilience in the next generation.
As parents, teachers, faith leaders, and neighbors, we carry the responsibility to both safeguard our children physically and support them emotionally. One without the other is incomplete.
The Trauma Survivors Foundation stands with the victims, families, and survivors of Minneapolis. We also stand ready for every community, parent, and child who needs help processing the weight of these tragedies.
Together, we can ensure that no child heals alone.
👉 If you or someone you love needs support, contact us at The Trauma Survivors Foundation.
Because every survivor deserves hope, healing, and community.
