Photo: Alamy
A horrific school shooting in Minneapolis this week has stirred many Americans’ emotions and elicited an outpouring of prayers and support for affected families and staff, highlighting the impact of faith and posing important questions about such tragic events.
In the aftermath of a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School that claimed the lives of two children and injured 14 others, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told reporters, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying.”
Former Biden White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also remarked on X, “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.”
This leftwing resistance to the power of prayer elicited strong responses among many leading political voices, including Vice President J.D. Vance.
“Of all the weird left wing culture wars in the last few years, this is by far the most bizarre. ‘How dare you pray for innocent people in the midst of tragedy?!’ What are you even talking about?” Vance wrote on X in a direct response to Psaki’s comment.
He also made another statement: “We pray because our hearts are broken. We pray because we know God listens. We pray because we know that God works in mysterious ways, and can inspire us to further action. Why do you feel the need to attack other people for praying when kids were just killed praying?”
The alleged perpetrator of the shooting was a 23-year-old male who appears to have identified as a woman. According to the New York Post, the suspect, Robert Westman, allegedly had a handwritten manifesto detailing his plans, along with disturbing videos uploaded to YouTube shortly before the shooting. It is unclear if Westman identified as a woman at the time of this crime.
It is also unclear why his online behavior did not trigger any red flags with law enforcement, which may have prevented this event.
First Lady Melania Trump drew attention to this reality in a statement posted on X late Thursday evening.
“The tragic mass killing in Minnesota illuminates the need for pre-emptive intervention in identifying potential school shooters. Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions,” she wrote.
She recommended that “behavior threat assessments” be done across all levels of society to monitor for warning signs, particularly on social media. “Being aware of these warning signs and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer,” she said.
