Witnesses describe terror and courage during the Minneapolis school shooting

The students were running a little late for their first Mass of the school year at the Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday.

“I checked my watch, it was supposed to start at 8:15. It was 8:18 and they were still filing in,” Cathrine Spandel told NPR on Thursday outside the church’s large stained glass windows. One student was admonished for failing to genuflect before going into the pews, she recalled.

Spandel was in church that day for the Mass and fellowship that follows it. The ceremony had begun and the worshippers finished the psalm “You have Searched Me and You Know Me Lord” when the shots rang out.

Spandel first thought it was firecrackers. A prank, she said. But she soon realized it was gunfire.

“Even before the principal yelled, ‘Get down!’ I flew to the ground,” she said.

What unfolded was a shooting that left two children dead, including 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, who was sitting just four pews in front of Spandel.

Eighteen more people were hurt in the violence, including three adult parishioners who were in their 80s and 15 children, authorities said.

It also shattered the sense of peace in the community around Annunciation Catholic School, which has seen generations of students move through its doors. Spandel is an alumni herself. She graduated in 1973 and has remained an active member of the parish.

Annique London has three daughters who have attended Annunciation, including one who went to school with the shooter, Robin Westman, although they didn’t know each other well.

“For some families that have grown up here, grandparents, parents and kids of those parents go to school here and worship here,” London told NPR.

Tiffany Tomlin-Kurtz lives near the school in south Minneapolis and was starting her day working from home when she heard the shots. She ran outside to see what was happening.

“I’ve got an image that I will never forget, a mom running towards the school and running towards active gunfire,” Tomlin-Kurtz told NPR, her voice quavering.

Inside the church, Spandel was reaching for the children’s pastoral minister, who was also under a pew two rows ahead of her.

“She was facing me and we reached towards each other and we prayed the Hail Mary together and we were both crying. And I asked God for absolution from all my sins. I asked Him to protect my family because I was certain that I was going to die,” Spandel said.

Spandel added: “I didn’t see how we were going to escape. I thought if [the shooter] breaks through and gains access, he will come row by row and shoot us, just like the Baptist church down south.”

The shooter never entered the church, but fired through the windows, circling the building, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

“There were shells near me, broken lead glass and wood from the window frames. It seemed like it went on forever,” Spandel said.

Amid the chaos, older children and adults shielded the younger kids, parents and authorities said. Spandel prayed over an injured girl.

“She had a head wound. They triaged her number one, got her right out to the ambulance. She is alive. She’s expected to live. But, you know, there could be long term effects,” Spandel said.