A 12-year-old Greek American girl named Sophia Forchas has been identified as one of the 17 children wounded in the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday, August 27. The seventh-grade student remains in critical condition after undergoing surgery, according to a GoFundMe fundraiser and a statement from St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church, where her family are active parishioners.

Forchas’ younger brother was also inside the school during the attack but was not physically harmed. Her mother, a pediatric critical care nurse, was working at a hospital responding to the emergency before realizing the shooting occurred at her children’s school.

A Community in Shock

Fox News initially reported on the girl’s condition while the National Herald confirmed the girl’s identity and reported comments from His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago, who said Forchas was “very active and energetic in the St. Mary’s parish.” He added that her parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, are “devout and faithful people, engaged in many ministries of the community.” Metropolitan Nathanael plans to travel to Minneapolis to be with the family and lead prayers for her recovery.

The Annunciation school community, founded in 1923 and serving preschool through eighth grade, had gathered for its traditional first-week Divine Liturgy when the attack began.

The Attack

The shooter, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire from outside the church using a rifle, shotgun, and pistol—all legally purchased—while children prayed inside. Two students, aged eight and ten, were killed, and 17 others injured, including three elderly parishioners. Authorities are investigating the assault as a suspected hate crime and an act of domestic terrorism after a disturbing manifesto was posted online hours before the attack.

The shooting has drawn condemnation from local and national leaders, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz condemning the violence and calling it “horrific” and “evil”.