A 13 years old Brave Kid Request Before Surgery After the Minneapolis Church Shooting

In the midst of the chaos at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, where a shooter opened fire during a school Mass on August 27, 2025, one story stands out for its quiet strength. Thirteen-year-old Endre Gunter, hit by two bullets, turned to his surgeon with a heartfelt plea right before going under the knife: “Can you say a prayer with me?”

Endre’s family shared this touching detail on a GoFundMe page they’ve set up to help with his medical bills. By Thursday afternoon, it had pulled in over $19,000. They described how Endre showed incredible courage and faith, way beyond what you’d expect from someone his age.

He made it through the surgery and is now on the mend in the hospital. The surgeon even told the family later that Endre’s bravery inspired everyone in the operating room.

City officials updated the numbers today, saying there are now 18 people injured in total, plus the heartbreaking loss of two kids, ages 8 and 10.

It all happened during a back-to-school Mass with dozens of students there. Around 8:30 a.m., shots started coming through the windows. Endre got hit in the stomach. A police officer was quick to help him and even prayed with him before he was rushed off to surgery.

The shooter was identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman. Investigators say he fired through the windows, blocked some exits with two-by-fours from outside, and used three guns he bought legally—a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. He ended up taking his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot.

Federal authorities are looking into this as possible domestic terrorism and a hate crime against Catholics. In a notebook from his now-deleted YouTube channel, Westman wrote something chilling: “In regards to my motivation behind the attack I can’t really put my finger on a specific purpose. It definitely wouldn’t be for racism or white supremacy… I don’t want to do it to spread a message. I do it to please myself. I do it because I am sick.”

The video also showed a target with Jesus on it, along with guns and ammo marked up with hateful stuff like “6 million wasn’t enough” (a sick reference to the Holocaust) and “psycho killer.” One magazine even said “kill Donald Trump.”

Turns out, Westman had ties to the church—he went there as a kid, and his mom worked there for five years before retiring in 2016.

On the GoFundMe, Endre’s family says he’s surrounded by loved ones and top-notch doctors, but it’s going to be a tough recovery. The money will cover hospital stays, rehab, counseling for the trauma, and support for his family. They also sent out prayers and love to all the other families hit by this nightmare.

Among the other injured is 12-year-old Sophia Forchas, who’s in the ICU after her own emergency surgery. And 10-year-old Weston Halsne shared how his friend Victor protected him and got shot in the process. Most of the wounded are kids—15 of them—plus three elderly folks in their 80s.

This whole thing just breaks your heart, but stories like Endre’s remind us of the resilience in the face of such senseless violence.