12-year-old Minneapolis Catholic school shooting victim makes 'miraculous' recovery, family says
The family of a 12-year-old girl critically wounded during the deadly shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school last month said she is making remarkable progress in her recovery, calling it "nothing short of miraculous."
Sophia Forchas, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head in the Aug. 27 attack at the Annunciation Catholic School, is preparing to transition from acute care to an inpatient rehabilitation program this week, her family said in a statement released through Hennepin Healthcare.
"Sophia is winning," the family said, noting she has shown "promising signs of neurological recovery" while under care at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
The shooting claimed the lives of two children -- Harper Moyski, 10, and Fletcher Merkel, 8 -- and left 21 others injured when a gunman fired more than 100 rounds through church windows during Mass, according to authorities.
The family expressed gratitude for worldwide support, including prayers from Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV, while attributing her survival to divine intervention.
"Each day we uncover new revelations of moments and circumstances that kept her alive and made her recovery possible," the family said.
The announcement of Forchas's progress came as Annunciation Catholic School completed its first week of limited on-campus activities since the tragedy. The school resumed some operations on Sept. 16, offering students "activities centered on support, connection, and play," with support staff from Washburn Center for Children and the Minnesota Department of Education on site.
Police identified the shooter as Robin Westman, 23, a former student whose mother had previously worked at the church. Westman, who authorities said had "a deranged obsession with previous mass shooters," died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
While Forchas's family acknowledged she faces "a long journey ahead, filled with extensive therapy," they remained hopeful about her recovery, asking for continued prayers and support.
The church building remains closed, with no announced timeline for reopening.
