Facing Emergency Surgery After Minneapolis School Shooting, 13-Year-Old Asked His Surgeon for Just One Thing

Shot twice during the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Aug. 27, 13-year-old Endre Gunter had one request for his surgeon before emergency surgery: “Can you say a prayer with me?”

According to a GoFundMe page created by his family, Endre has survived surgery and is now recovering in the hospital. The fundraiser, which has raised more than $19,000 as of Thursday afternoon, describes him as having shown “strength and faith beyond his years.” His surgeon later told relatives that Endre “fought through a terrifying event with courage that inspired the entire medical team.”

City officials announced Thursday that the number of injured victims has risen to 18, in addition to the two children, ages 8 and 10, who were killed.

Endre was among dozens of students attending a back-to-school Mass when the shooting began. Around 8:30 a.m., he was struck in the stomach as bullets came through the church windows. A Minneapolis police officer reportedly rendered aid and prayed with him before he was rushed into surgery, according to PEOPLE.

Authorities identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who investigators say fired through the church’s windows, blocked at least two exits with wooden planks, and unleashed dozens of rounds using three legally purchased firearms — a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol.

Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Federal authorities are now reviewing the case as potential domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics, according to PEOPLE.

In a notebook recovered from their now-deleted YouTube channel, Westman wrote, “In regards to my motivation behind the attack I can’t really put my finger on a specific purpose. It definitely wouldn’t be for racism or white supremacy… I don’t want to do it to spread a message. I do it to please myself. I do it because I am sick,” per CNN.

The video also showed disturbing imagery, including a target depicting Jesus, ammunition, and guns marked with messages such as “6 million wasn’t enough” — a reference to the Holocaust — and “psycho killer.” One magazine bore the words “kill Donald Trump.”

Westman had previously attended Annunciation, and their mother worked at the church for five years before retiring in 2016, according to the Associated Press.

On GoFundMe, Endre’s family wrote that he is healing “surrounded by his loved ones and the best medical team possible,” though he faces “a long road ahead.” Donations will go toward medical expenses, rehabilitation, trauma counseling, and support for his family.

Among the other wounded is 12-year-old Sophia Forchas, who remains in the ICU after undergoing emergency surgery, according to PEOPLE. The outlet also reported that 10-year-old Weston Halsne said his friend Victor shielded him and was shot, and that among the 18 injured are 15 children as well as three elderly parishioners.