The family of 12-year-old Sophia Forchas says her recovery is “nothing short of miraculous” after she was critically wounded in last month’s deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.
Forchas suffered a gunshot wound to the head during the August 27 attack but is now preparing to move from acute care to an inpatient rehabilitation program at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), according to a statement released through Hennepin Healthcare. Her family said she is showing “promising signs of neurological recovery,” adding, “Sophia is winning.”
Tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School
The shooting claimed the lives of two children—10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel—and injured 21 others when the gunman fired more than 100 rounds through church windows during a morning Mass, Minneapolis police said. Authorities identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Investigators reported that Westman had a “deranged obsession with previous mass shooters,” according to the Reuters coverage.
Community and School Response
Annunciation Catholic School reopened for limited on-campus activities on September 16, focusing on “support, connection, and play” for students. Support staff from the Washburn Center for Children and the Minnesota Department of Education were present to help the community cope with the trauma.
Family Hope and Ongoing Care
“Each day we uncover new revelations of moments and circumstances that kept her alive and made her recovery possible,” the family said in their statement. While acknowledging that Sophia faces a long journey of therapy and rehabilitation, they remain hopeful and ask for continued prayers and support.
The church building remains closed, and officials have not provided a timeline for reopening.