"So utterly sickening": Piers Morgan reacts after harrowing mass shooting at US Catholic school kills two toddlers & injures several others

Piers Morgan responded with outrage and heartbreak after news broke of a mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis that left two young children dead and several others injured. On August 27, 2025, Morgan reposted a report by CBS News on his X account, where he condemned the tragedy as yet another example of America’s gun violence crisis.

In his message, Morgan expressed both anger and sorrow, describing the act as senseless and devastating for the victims’ families.

“Yet another horrendous mass shooting of young children in America by yet another pathetic coward armed like Rambo. So utterly senseless, so utterly sickening. My heart breaks for those poor little kids and their families,” he wrote.

Piers Morgan

@piersmorgan

Yet another horrendous mass shooting of young children in America by yet another pathetic coward armed like Rambo. So utterly senseless, so utterly sickening. My heart breaks for those poor little kids and their families. 💔

The post Morgan shared from CBS News detailed that the mass shooting took place during a Catholic mass at Annunciation Catholic School in south Minneapolis on the morning of Wednesday, August 27.

According to the post, two toddlers were killed in the shooting, while 17 others were injured. The injured included students, parents, and staff members attending the back-to-school service. Authorities confirmed to CBS News that the shooter died at the scene from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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More about the Minneapolis Catholic School mass shooting

Shooting At Annunciation School Church Leaves Multiple Children Dead (Image via Getty Images)

As per an Al Jazeera report dated August 27, 2025, the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis was the 146th school-related shooting in the United States since January.

Authorities said the gunman, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman from suburban Minneapolis, fired dozens of rounds into the church windows while children and parishioners were seated inside.

Armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, all of which had been legally purchased recently, Westman targeted schoolchildren attending Mass before taking their own life. Additional firearms were later recovered at residences connected to the suspect.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the mass shooting as one of the most disturbing incidents the city had ever faced. He emphasized the calculated cruelty of the attack, and called it both incomprehensible and cowardly.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping…The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said during a news conference, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Shooting At Annunciation School Church In Minneapolis (Image via Getty Images)

The CBS News report added that, as per authorities, the shooter had timed videos to be published on YouTube on the morning of the attack. The CBS News team verified several of these videos, which included journal entries describing suicidal thoughts, plans to target children, and references to other mass shootings. The content has since been removed and remains under FBI review.

The violence claimed the lives of an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. Of the 17 injured, 14 were children between the ages of 6 and 15, while three were elderly parishioners in their 80s.

According to CBS News, Hennepin Healthcare, a Level 1 trauma center, received 10 of the victims. Chair of Emergency Medicine Tom Wyatt acknowledged the heavy toll on staff, noting that hospitals had dealt with two mass casualty events in just 24 hours.

“We’ve had two mass casualty events happen in the last 24 hours. That does take a toll…But we also have to recognize that we are here as a critical resource for our community, and we have to take time to process the care that we deliver in these situations, and we have to be able to move forward because we are obviously needed,” Tom Wyatt said.

Officials have not yet identified a specific motive behind the mass shooting, but FBI Director Kash Patel announced via X that the incident was being investigated as domestic terrorism.

FBI Director Kash Patel

@FBIDirectorKash

Updates on the shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota: The FBI is investigating this shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics. There were 2 fatalities, an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old. In addition, 14 children and 3 adults were injured. The

President Donald Trump also commented on Truth Social, urging Americans to pray for the victims and praising the rapid FBI response.

"The FBI quickly responded, and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved," Trump said (as per CBS)

Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey underscored the need for real action, not just expressions of sympathy. He stated that children "should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence" and their parents "should have the same kind of assurance."

According to Al Jazeera, Westman, whose name was legally changed from Robert in 2020 after identifying as female, had no significant criminal history.

CBS further reported that court records and church posts revealed Westman’s mother had once worked at Annunciation, serving as parish secretary and school administrative assistant until her retirement in 2021.

Additionally, the FBI confirmed that Westman acted alone. The attack came just one day after another shooting about four miles away left one person dead and six others injured. Authorities have said the two incidents do not appear to be connected.

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Since 2020, Minnesota has seen three K-12 school shootings. The mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis is still under investigation.