Afternoon. My name is Brian O'Hara. B R
I A N O apostrophe H A R A. I am the
Minneapolis Police Chief.
This has been a very difficult week for
our community here in Minneapolis.
As we continue to move along this
difficult path of healing, I want the
community to know that even in the face
of evil, the Minneapolis Police
Department and all of our law
enforcement partners collectively stand
together with you. We stand with our
families that have been affected by this
senseless violence as well as with the
parish community. We will continue to be
here for all of you.
The men and women of the Minneapolis
Police Department who responded
yesterday did not hesitate.
At 8:27 a.m., 911 began to receive
initial calls of shots being fired.
By 8:31, a Minneapolis police officer in
a regular uniform with no helmet, no
SWAT gear, ran into the church, was met
by a parishioner who directed him
towards where the gunman had been. The
parishioner later told me that was the
first time that he, the children, and
others there had any sense that they
might be safe and survive.
The members that responded yesterday
exemplified the motto that is on the
Minneapolis Police Squad cars to protect
with courage and to serve with
compassion.
all of our law enforcement partners,
first responders, and many children,
members of the school staff, and
parishioners of Annunciation
Catholic Church all showed incredible
courage yesterday
in the face of unspeakable horror.
As the investigation continues, we will
continue working alongside our county,
state, and federal law enforcement
partners as we continue to be critical
as we piece together exactly what
happened.
At this time, we have identified a total
of 20 victims that had injuries
resulting from from gunfire, including
the eight and 10year-old who were killed
yesterday.
15 of the injured are children between
the ages of six and 15.
Three of those injured are adults in
their 80s.
Those who remain hospitalized need all
of our support as we continue to pray
for a speedy recovery for all of our
victims.
During the processing of the scene at
Annunciation Church yesterday, three
shotgun shells were recovered along with
approximately 116 rifle rounds.
One live round was recovered from a
handgun that appears to have
malfunctioned as the shooter attempted
to use it and became stuck in the
chamber.
There were four search warrants that
were executed yesterday. one at the
church. The others were executed at
residences believed to be associated
with the shooter.
One of those residences was in the city
of Minneapolis, a second one was in
Richfield, and a third one was in St.
Louis Park, which are both watering
municipalities.
Additional evidence was recovered as a
result of these warrants.
Literally hundreds of pieces of evidence
have been recovered thus far, which
include electronic devices that will be
further searched and processed.
It now becomes our job collectively with
all of law enforcement to process that
evidence. And so this investigation will
continue and we will follow all of the
evidence to its logical conclusion.
I am aware, however, that this may not
ultimately provide the answers that our
public is looking for. When something
terrible happens, the public expects law
enforcement to provide some explanation
for what happened.
But the reality is this is an
unthinkable, completely senseless act.
Violence perpetrated against children
worshiping at mass. and no
investigation, no evidence will we ever
be able to make sense of such an
unthinkable tragedy.
That being said, we will do our best to
determine and identify a specific
motive.
What we have seen so far is this is an
ind individual who unfortunately like so
many other mass shooters that we have
seen in this country too often and
around the world had some deranged
fascination with previous mass shootings
and very disturbing writings that
demonstrate hatred towards many
different individuals and different
groups of people.
and he fantasized about the plans of
other mass shooters.
Unfortunately, again, this has become
all too common in our society.
That being said, we know ultimately the
purpose of the shooter's actions was to
obtain notoriety for the shooter
themselves.
That being said, I have only said the
name of this shooter once, and I'm
asking members of the media to stop
saying the shooter's name. That was the
whole purpose of why he did this heinous
act, to obtain that notoriety for
As schools in our city are beginning to
start this week and next, we are working
with all of our law enforcement
partners, county sheriffs, state
troopers, and surrounding municipalities
that are helping the city of Minneapolis
as we step up police presence both in
and around schools and around all of our
houses of worship in the city.
Many of our law enforcement partners are
also supplementing patrols and we could
not be more grateful.
This has truly been a collective effort
in partnership with our community.
We also must say that we will be forever
in debt to all of the doctors, nurses,
and paramedics who responded, who are
caring for these victims in this
incident.
I cannot tell you how incredibly
grateful we are for all of the love and
support that has been pouring in from
all around the country. Both for the
first responders who initially
responded, entered that church, and
dealt with the unthinkable
and for all of the victims and families
that have received that love and support
as well.
The Minneapolis Police Department and
our community have a long road ahead of
us to heal, and we need everyone to
continuing to show their support after
the cameras once again leave this city.
I'd like to invite up the acting United
States Attorney for the District of
Minnesota, Joe Thompson.
>> Good afternoon. My name is Joe Thompson.
and I'm the acting United States
Attorney for the District of Minnesota.
Yesterday, Minnesota was attacked. It
was an attack first and foremost on our
children and our families. An attack at
a school and in a place of worship. It
was also an attack on our city, our
state, and our country.
The US Attorney's Office, the FBI, ATF,
and other federal law enforcement are
working with state and local partners to
investigate this heinous act. Our
investigation is twofold.
First, we are seeking to confirm what we
believe to be true, which is that the
shooter acted alone and that no one else
was involved. That the threat died with
the shooter yesterday. We believe that
to be true, but we'll leave no stone
unturned to ensure the safety of our
community.
Second, we are investigating the motive.
Why and how this happened.
The shooter left behind hundreds of
pages of writings. Writings that
describe the shooter's plan, writings
that describe the shooter's mental
state,
and more than anything, writings that
describe the shooter's hate. pure
indiscriminate hate.
The shooter expressed hate towards
almost every group unmanageable. The
shooter expressed hate towards black
people. The shooter expressed hate
towards Mexican people.
Christian people. The shooter expressed
hate towards Jewish people. In short,
the shooter appeared to hate all of us.
The shooter's heart was full of hate.
There appears to be only one group that
the shooter didn't hate. One group of
people who the shooter admired.
The group were the school shooters and
mass murderers that are notorious in
this country. The shooter idolized some
of the most notorious school shooters
and mass murderers in our country's
history. I won't name them just like I
won't name the shooter. They don't
deserve to have their names remembered.
As I said, the shooter left behind
hundreds of pages of writings. There is
a lot to digest and we'll know more in
the coming days and weeks as we've had
an opportunity to go through them. But
reading them,
one thing is clear. It's going to be
hard to hear, but it's important to the
question of why this happened.
More than anything, the shooter wanted
to kill children,
defenseless children.
The shooter was obsessed with the idea
of killing children.
The shooter saw the attack as a way to
target our most vulnerable among us
while they were at their most vulnerable
at school, and at church. I won't
dignify the shooters words by repeating
them. They are horrific and vile, but in
short, the shooter wanted to watch
children suffer.
Yesterday was a tragedy for this city
and our state. My heart goes out to the
entire enunciation community. Their loss
is unimageable.
I want the state of Minnesota to know
that when a tragedy like this occurs, we
all stand together. Federal, state, and
local law enforcement work together side
by side. The FBI, the ATF, BCA,
Minneapolis Police Department, the
Henman County Sheriff's Office, the Hen
Hen County Attorney's Office, including
their victim advocates who have been
working with the families yesterday and
today. The list goes on. This has been a
tough summer for Minnesota, but I take
heart knowing that we all stand together
in confronting this evil. Thank you.
Turn it back to Chief O'Hara.
>> A little bit up for some questions and
answer. Uh the FBI director Cash Patel
put out some details today uh including
that there was a threat against
President Trump, that there were some
messages such as Israel must fall in
free Palestine
and that it is being investigated as a
hate crime and there's evidence of a
hate crime. Do you speak to what the FBI
director put out?
>> I haven't talked to Director Patel, but
certainly there's evidence of hate. As I
mentioned, the shooter expressed hate
towards many groups, including the
Jewish community and including President
Trump. So, obviously, as in most cases
where there's a mass shooting at a house
of worship or a school, federal law
enforcement will will work with state,
local law enforcement to investigate to
make sure what happened. We know what
happened and we prosecute as
appropriate. one of the
>> I would just add to that Matt um that
there is no question in this case that
this shooter intended to terrorize the
children the school school members of
the school community the parishioners
were inside of that church. So whatever
label we we want to put on it is is
almost is regardless of the fact that is
it is very clear that this shooter had
the intention to terrorize those
innocent children. One of the
manifestos, I guess, mentions a belief
that the shooter was under an FBI
investigation.
Um, are is anyone able to say whether or
not that's true or whether this person
showed up on any watch list or any
federal radar at all?
>> Yeah, we did a check of uh all of our
holdings, the FBI holdings, and he was
not in our holdings prior to this
incident. So, we didn't have anything on
him at that time.
>> Okay. And is there any kind of mental
health diagnosis that anyone is aware
of?
>> There is no diagnosis that I'm aware of
that I can share. Um I can tell you we
are not aware of any state ordered uh
mental health commitments recently.
>> Chief, could you talk about we're
hearing some new details come out about
the moments inside the church.
>> Yes.
>> About the doors being locked down that
might have
>> protected some kids. Could you talk to
us about that?
So the the the question was about the
doors being locked at the church.
Annunciation Church had a practice that
once mass began, they locked the doors
of the church. This incident occurred
shortly after the mass was beginning. So
um there's no question that the fact
that doors were locked likely saved
additional lives. At the same time, we
also know that the shooter intended to
barricade and did barricade the doors on
the same side of the church where the
shooting occurred.
So, what's particularly heinous and
cowardly about this is these children
were slaughtered by a shooter who could
not see them. He was standing outside of
the building firing through very narrow
church windows uh on the level where
they would line up at the pews. And even
ultimately when he got to the rear of
the church, there was an entryway that's
uh
basically all glass and fired out the
window where a person could walk in.
Ultimately did not walk in.
>> Can you stand for a walk? Is that from
the inside or from the outside? like
your inside is you can get out but you
can't get in from the outside.
>> The question is about the doors being
locked. Yes, the doors were locked
intentionally by the church from the
inside and that's a practice that they
had in place once mass had begun.
>> I know his uh social media postings
troubling post uh
admiration for previous uh school
shooters. Why was he able to obtain a
weapon of that magnity? So the question
was due to previous social media posts,
why was the individual able to obtain a
weapon? Yeah. Um we have nothing in the
evidence that we have acquired so far
that would indicate that he is a person
uh that he did not lawfully purchase
these weapons. He did not have a
criminal history. The only thing that we
are aware of is a traffic ticket. He did
not have any uh state ordered
commitments for mental health. So, of
everything that we have seen so far, it
did not rise to the level where he would
have been a person prohibited from
purchasing a firearm.
>> Can you can you confirm if the shooter
went to the church weeks prior, and if
so, how long before the shooting
happened?
>> Um, so Uba's question was if the shooter
uh did go to the church weeks prior. Uh
we we cannot specifically confirm that
at this time, but that is obviously a
part of the investigation.
>> Given all about the connection, his
connection to the church and school.
>> Yep. So the question was the connection
of the shooter to the church and school.
We do know that uh the shooter did
attend mass there previously. The
shooter did attend school and the
shooter's mother was an employee of the
parish previously for some time. So
obviously there is a connection between
that shooter and this particular parish
and this this school there.
>> Chief, what can you tell us about the
20th
>> victim that you you mentioned? Another
victim you mentioned today. How is that
child doing?
>> So there's one additional child that was
injured by gunfire that we weren't aware
of at the time of the last briefing.
They were transported by private vehicle
to a hospital outside of the city and
the report was actually made to police
after they had been treated and
released. So the injuries to the
children uh range from in this case uh
as you'd call like a graze wound from uh
gunfire all to again some very serious
uh life-threatening injuries. Uh we have
we have some victims that have been
released uh by the hospital at this
time. We we anticipate uh perhaps a few
more today, but we still have uh some
victims who are very seriously injured
and in critical condition.
>> Even though there's no criminal record,
>> I was going to say even though there's
no criminal record, have you been able
to find any any police contacts where
there was odd behavior? Maybe that
didn't rise to the level of a crime, but
in any jurisdiction that's come up.
>> So the question was police contacts with
odd behavior. There's nothing uh in
Minneapolis where we we did not have
previous police contacts with him.
>> Is there anything more you can say today
on the name change issue? I know that
yesterday uh you didn't confirm that,
but I know it's out there. Uh is there
anything more you can reveal just about
>> So the question was about the shooter's
name change. We are aware that uh a few
years ago, I think 2019, the shooter did
have their name changed. We can confirm
that. Yes.
>> I I know Luke kind of asked it in in the
FBI spokesperson talked about too. Had
any law enforcement you found made
contact with the shooter's family
previously to what happened yesterday?
>> I can try for everybody. I'm Drew Evans,
superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau
of Criminal Apprehension. It depends on
specifically what you're asking. We're
aware of some reports in the past. We
are gathering those reports now. There
will be additional information that
we'll be able to share down. But as the
chief noted, and we think what is
important in this and related to the
question, this individual was not
arrested for anything that would
prohibit them from being able to
purchase a firearm. There is not s uh
substantive police contact with this
individual that would have raised
concern to the level that would lead us
to believe this sort of this situation
would happen today. the social media in
terms of your question for that just to
be clear the level set for everybody
there is a specific criteria in terms of
how an individual can purchase a firearm
legally in Minnesota if those posts and
information I'll share it to for
everybody that we want to know going
forward this obviously is a terrible
tragedy we need the help of the public
and everybody else if there's concerning
social media behavior by anybody or that
there's concern in their community that
they are contacting their law
enforcement so that we can adequately
address that in the process that did not
happen in this case.
>> So the video
>> evidence found with the search warrants.
Were you able to recover additional guns
and if so were those registered and also
legally purchased?
>> So the question was in regard to the
search warrant were additional weapons
recovered. The answer is no. Only the
three weapons that were recovered at the
scene, a 5.56 mm rifle, a shotgun, and a
pistol. And all three were used during
this inc. Chief, any history of gun
training? Because the the shooter seemed
fairly accurate.
>> We're not aware of uh at this time any
history of gun training.
>> In the evidence that you have recovered,
has the shooter expressed any grievance
against that particular church?
>> So the question was any specific
grievance against the church? We
mentioned uh there is a connection to
the parish, connection to the school,
but we have not identified uh a
triggering event or a specific grievance
against the church that you could point
to to say this is the reason for why
this happened.
>> Chief, I just want to clarify something
you said. Did you say that the shooter
attended mass in the weeks before the
shooting?
>> Uh I did not say that. So the question
was did the shooter attend mass in the
weeks before? We know that previously
the shooter had attended that parish and
had attended that school when they were
younger.
>> Is there anything um you know any
evidence that this person was was
radicalized or part of some online
groups or anything like that that would
have inspired this behavior?
>> Yeah. So the question was if the
individual was radicalized I guess for a
specific cause or a part of some online
groups and the answer is no. We have not
found evidence of that. uh other than
again just this fascination in general
with many many different previous mass
shootings mainly in this country but
also some from around the world.
>> Chief, any evidence to indicate why this
particular church just to kind of follow
up on what I was asked why this
particular church was chosen as the
target and not somewhere else. So Matt's
question is the question uh why this
particular church and other than the
obvious which we have said the
connection to uh being from that church
being from that school of mom having
worked there we have not found a
specific trigger uh for why to target
the children at this church.
>> On that note though did the shooter seem
aware that there was going to be this
mass at this time that the kids would be
there at that time?
>> So
>> other than the obvious that they showed
up and shot.
>> Yeah. So the question was, did the
shooter be aware? Was the shooter aware
uh of this mass at this church? The
answer would be yes. This was a daily
mass, but this was special in that the
children were attending to celebrate the
first week of school, the beginning of a
new school year.
>> Chief, are you able to give us an
update? Uh I know we heard this from
HCMC this morning on the injuries, who's
hospitalized, how many, severity, and
you you did mention that you expect some
of the kids to be released today. So the
question was uh total number of victims
who remain hospitalized. I I do not have
information that would have to come
specifically uh from the individual
hospitals. Again, I know that some uh
victims have been released and I believe
HCMC mentioned at their press conference
earlier that they anticipate uh a couple
more may be released today, but I know
both at HCMC uh as well as Children's
Hospital that there remain patients who
are in critical condition. you had more
than 24 hours to kind of absorb this and
kind of process this. Your thoughts on
this as we kind of move forward where we
are right now.
>> So the question was over the last 24
hours uh from my thoughts on where we
are and moving forward um I I think um
we had dozens of police officers that
responded um that entered there. I
shared a story that one person had
shared with me of uh the relief they had
seeing an officer running in towards the
danger. And I know from uh dozens of
officers who did respond that ran into
the church and saw the unthinkable with
all of these children so seriously
injured and other children um that had
blood on them from not because they were
injured but because of blood that was
shared from other kids and just how
confusing it was for the officers. uh
because no one knew if there was
specifically just one shooter, if there
were perhaps improvised devices uh that
were there to go off. So, I think the
officers uh that were then joined by
state troopers and county sheriff's
deputies and and all of federal law
enforcement officers and others that
responded very very quickly. Uh and I
just think did an incredible job at uh
trying to ensure that the threat was
eliminated, there were no additional
threats, but also trying to triage as
quickly as possible um and and get the
injured to the hospital. And I think
EMS, all the first responders did an
amazing job. And I think going forward
we're going to learn countless stories
um about many children and uh the heroic
acts that children there did as well as
staff members and other parishioners. So
um I know this is uh you know incredibly
horrific and just an unthinkable
situation. Despite all of that, I think
there's just there's going to be
countless lessons of bravery from young
children all the way up uh to elders in
our community.
>> All right, we'll take one more perhaps
from somebody who's not yet had a
chance.
>> Chief, have you
go ahead?
>> Yeah. Um have you guys um spoken with
the shooters parents and have they said
anything about past mental health
history? Um, and do you guys as law
enforcement believe there might have
been any red flags that might have been
missed?
>> So, the question was, have we spoken to
the shooter's parents? Uh, and if there
were any red flags that may have been
missed. I know there were dozens of
interviews that have been conducted uh
with relatives, friends, associates of
the shooter as well as people obviously
individuals, witnesses that were present
at the scene yesterday. Uh I know we
have not been successful in uh talking
to the shooter's mother yet at this
time. Um but there there continue to be
efforts uh made to get that done.
>> They not talked to the father.
>> I I cannot confirm that. I just I don't
know. There's been
>> you have
>> you have did he live alone or did he
live with his father?
>> Well, the the question was did he live
alone or live with his father? There's
three uh residences that are associated
with this uh individual. Um I I I can't
verify right now which residence he was
staying at uh immediately prior to the
shooting, but that's obviously something
that will come out with the
investigation as it continues.
>> Just out of curiosity, what was your
question?
>> Um can you say um how long the shooter
attended the school for the grades?
>> So the question was how long did the
shooter high schoolers? Okay. Um, but I
I don't know the period of time exactly.
>> Is there surveillance video available?
Not that we want to see it, but that you
can review to know like how long he was
shooting and how he snuck off and stuff
like that.
>> So, the question was, is there
surveillance video? And the answer is
yes, there's surveillance video at the
church. Uh, that's how we know for sure
he did not enter uh and did not fire at
all from inside the church.
>> And do you know how long the shooting
took place?
Uh, we will know that for sure. The
question was how long did the shooting
take place? So, the first call to 911
was
>> or I just mean like the shots being
fired for how many seconds or minutes?
Yeah.
>> Yes, we we will be able to figure that
out. We will be that.
>> Thanks so much for your time today. Um,
we are quite hot. Thank you, Chief.
>> We got a lot more yet to get done today.
Uh, so I appreciate again your
partnership and helping us get these
messages out. Thank you.