Vice President JD Vance was heckled by protesters as he visited Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday to pay his respects to victims of last week’s deadly mass shooting.
Vance and his wife, Usha, stood quietly before a statue of the Virgin Mary outside the church before entering to meet with survivors and families.
Across the street, protesters gathered with signs reading “protect kids not guns” and carried a rainbow ‘pride’ flag featuring transgender colors. Shouts of “protect our kids,” “you’re a coward,” and “do better” rang out as the vice president arrived.
Conservative columnist Dustin Grage criticized the demonstration on social media, calling the group “tone-deaf.”
Police have identified the gunman as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who opened fire during a school Mass on Aug. 27. Authorities said Westman carried a rifle, pistol, and shotgun, all legally purchased. Two children—8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski—were killed, and 21 others were injured.
Court records show Westman was born Robert and legally changed his name to Robin in 2019. FBI Director Kash Patel has confirmed the shooter’s identity and said the attack is being investigated as domestic terrorism with anti-religious motives.
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Speaking to reporters after the visit, Vance described the day as both “heartbreaking” and “gratifying.” He said the victims’ families shared personal stories about their children.
“I really felt like these parents, in the midst of the worst grief of their entire lives, they opened up their lives and they opened up their hearts and they made me part of it,” he said. “They told me about their kids, their families, the community supporting them. That was just an amazing thing to witness.”
Vance urged the public to focus on the children rather than the perpetrator.
“We should talk more about these kids. We should talk less about the shooter,” he said. He described Harper as a “beautiful young girl” proud of having received her first communion, and Fletcher as “a very rambunctious and energetic kid” with “an incredible head of hair.”
The vice president also asked Americans to pray for victims still recovering from their injuries, including a young girl who remained in critical condition. “While two kids lost their lives, there’s still one kid that’s in very serious condition,” Vance said. “All three families said, ‘Please say a prayer.’ So now, my fellow Americans, if you’re the praying type, say a prayer for this innocent girl who’s in surgery right now that she will be okay.”
Asked by reporters whether people experiencing gender dysphoria should be investigated if they show signs of targeting children, Vance responded: “Certainly we should be investigating people who are planning on targeting kids.” He emphasized that preventing school shootings must involve addressing root causes and limiting access to firearms by individuals intent on violence.
According to Vance, the parents he spoke with urged policymakers to focus on prevention.
“What the parents asked was that we look very seriously at the root causes, that we look very seriously at ways to prevent crazy people who are about to shoot up a school from getting access to firearms,” he said.
Vance said the encounter left a personal impression on him as a parent.
“One of the ways that I’m going to try to honor these parents and the children they lost is by being a better dad and hugging my kids tight tonight,” he said. “Because there are two families who are not going to get that opportunity ever again.”
The Minneapolis shooting has added to the national debate on gun violence, mental health, and the intersection of identity and security concerns. Authorities have confirmed that their investigation is ongoing and have pledged to release additional findings in the coming weeks.