‘My friend was shot protecting me’: Fifth grader’s chilling account of Minneapolis school shooting

Among those caught in the attack was fifth-grader Weston Halsne, who recounted the moment a friend shielded him from the bullets. “He was shot in the back while protecting me,” Weston told CNN.

The shooting that occurred at Annunciation Catholic Church, which is connected to a school, was carried out by a gunman identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman.

Westman, armed with three legally owned firearms, fired shots through the church windows before taking his own life. The motive behind the attack remains unclear.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is leading the inquiry, while President Donald Trump announced that US flags at the White House and all public buildings would be flown at half-mast until sunset “as a mark of respect for the victims.”