Terror swept through a Minneapolis Catholic school early Wednesday morning when a lone gunman, alleged to be a 23-year-old man identifying as a woman, shot through the windows of the building during Mass. In total, two children were pronounced dead and a further six were in critical condition upon arrival to a nearby hospital. Eleven others were injured.
“The shooter approached from the outside of the building and fired a rifle through the church windows towards children and worshippers. The shooter also used a shotgun and a pistol,” Minneapolis Police Chief Michael O’Hara said of the tragedy.
“An 8-year-old and a 10-year-old were killed while they sat in the pews. Of the 17 others injured, 14 are children. At least seven victims were in critical condition when they arrived at a nearby hospital…Six children and one adult were in critical condition, and four required an operating room,” media outlet News 9 reported.
Immediately after the unspeakably horrific scene of violence at Annunciation Catholic Church, former Biden Press Secretary Jen Psaki used her social media platform to deride believers for what she considered a hollow gesture. Her response garnered swift and fiery opposition.
Writing on X, a vitriolic post from Psaki that garnered over 3 million views at time of publication stated: “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayers does not end school shootings. prayers do not make parents feel safe sending their kids to school. Prayer does not bring these kids back. Enough with the thoughts and prayers.”
“Attacking prayer when people were just attacked while praying is disgusting,” retorted Paul Spyzula. His, like so many comments, were appalled at the complete lack of anger toward the shooter and empathy for the victims; instead, Psaki seemed more interested in doubling down on the attack toward communities of Christian faith.
Another comment beautifully summarized how powerful prayer is, writing, “[t]o Catholics, prayer for the dead is not an empty gesture—it is an act of profound love. When children are killed at Mass, to mock prayer is cruel and ignorant. We pray for their souls, because in Christ death is not the end. True prayer moves us to action, never to apathy.”
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, who famously wore a mask and wept while kneeling at the coffin of George Floyd, echoed similar sentiments in a raging rant about prayer during a press conference addressing the school shooting. “These were Minneapolis families. These were American families, and the amount of pain that they are suffering right now is extraordinary. Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying.”
Take a look at Frey below:
https://x.com/thecjpearson/status/1960793663027470740
Featured image: The White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons