Eden Prairie Schools responds to Minneapolis church shooting, reiterates safety procedures

In the wake of Wednesday’s mass shooting at Annunciation Church in south Minneapolis that killed two children and injured 17 others, Eden Prairie Schools sent an email to families reaffirming safety protocols and offering words of support.

The Star Tribune reported that the shooter was 23-year-old Robin Westman, who attended Annunciation Catholic School for at least a year. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Westman died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the back of the church.

O’Hara said that all of the injured victims are expected to survive.

“I’m sad, angry and sick about the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in south Minneapolis – which is affecting many people across our metro area, including some of us here in the Eden Prairie community,” Superintendent Josh Swanson said in the statement sent out to families. “These shootings never get easier to understand.”

Swanson said the school district has been in touch with Eden Prairie Police Chief Matt Sackett, and that the police will work to ensure a “great and successful start to the year.

The statement also said the district has been reviewing and rehearsing its standard response protocol and standard reunification process, which are used in emergencies. 

Grace Becker, director of marketing and communications for Eden Prairie Schools, confirmed the district did not use any safety procedures at its schools Wednesday.

The first day of classes for Eden Prairie Schools is Tuesday, Sept. 2, for preschool through fifth grade, as well as sixth and ninth graders. Seventh- and eighth-graders and high school sophomores, juniors and seniors begin Wednesday, Sept. 3.

EP Schools’ standard response protocol is as follows:

Hold: Used to keep hallways clear for staff to attend to situations inside school buildings. Students and staff remain in their current locations.

Secure: Used when there is police activity or a suspicious person or animal outside the building. Students who are outside come inside the school. 

Lockdown: Used when there is an active threat of violence inside the building and evacuation is unsafe. Doors are locked, lights are turned off, and students and staff stay out of sight while awaiting further instructions from emergency responders.

Evacuate: Used when it is no longer safe to remain inside the school building, such as during a fire, natural gas leak or flood. Staff lead students out of the building until it is safe to reenter.

Shelter: Used during severe weather or an environmental hazard close to the school. Students and staff move to a designated shelter area inside the building and duck and cover.

Some emergencies may require families to pick up their students through a process called “reunification.”

EP Schools’ standard reunification process is as follows:

Stay home: Heading directly to the school when a crisis occurs can put families and first responders at risk.

Stay informed: According to the district, it will communicate with families about reunification instructions as quickly as possible. Families are asked not to call the school, as this can take staff away from the emergency at hand. Families can check edenpr.org, social media, local news, and emails, texts and phone calls from the district to stay up to date. Students will be asked to contact their families through personal devices when it is safe to do so.

Wait for reunification instructions from the district: If reunification is required, the district will notify families of the exact time and place to pick up their children. It is likely that reunification will take place at a location other than the school building. Families will be required to check in, complete a reunification card and present photo identification before picking up their child. If a parent or guardian is unable to pick up the child, the student may be released to an emergency contact.

Swanson’s email statement also included well-being resources for families and students, including materials from the National Association of School Psychologists and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

For more information on EP Schools’ emergency management protocols, visit the district’s website.