12-year-old wounded in Minneapolis church shooting moves out of critical condition, doctors call recovery a 'miracle'

A 12-year-old girl shot in the head during a mass at a Minneapolis church has been upgraded from critical to serious condition, hospital officials said, a recovery her neurosurgeon called a "miracle." Sophia Forchas had remained the most critically injured of the victims of the attack and spent 15 days in the intensive care unit at Hennepin Healthcare Trauma Center.

Sophia was shot in the temporal lobe and suffered severe damage to a major blood vessel, according to statements by her medical team. Doctors said they left the bullet lodged in her brain because removing it would provide no benefit and surgeons removed part of the left side of her skull to relieve swelling. As of last week she had been kept in a medically induced coma much of the time to control intracranial pressure.

Neurological improvements prompted the change in status, Dr. Walt Galicich, Sophia's neurosurgeon, told reporters at a recent news conference. Galicich said Sophia had begun opening her eyes, showing some awareness of her surroundings and moving her right leg, though she had not yet been able to follow commands. "If you had told me at this juncture, 10 days later, that we'd be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said it would take a miracle," he said.

Hospital officials described the move from "critical" to "serious" using language reported by the Star Tribune: serious condition indicates a patient is acutely ill with a questionable prognosis and that vital signs may be unstable or not within normal limits, while indicators remain questionable but offer a chance for improved prognosis.

Sophia's father, Tom Forchas, condemned the attack as "a heinous act committed by a coward," and thanked medical staff, family and people around the world who sent prayers. He said his wife, Amy, a pediatric nurse, has remained at their daughter's bedside. He added that Sophia's nine-year-old brother was in the church during the shooting but was unharmed.

The shooting took place last month at Annunciation Catholic School’s church during the children’s first Mass of the academic year. Authorities identified the shooter as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who previously went by the name Robert. Investigators said Westman fired through stained-glass windows, then died by suicide. Two children were killed and 21 others were wounded.

The two children who died were identified as 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel. More than 1,000 people gathered for a memorial service for Fletcher, and a celebration of life for Harper was planned.

Westman was reported to have been armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol during the attack. A dispatcher at the scene relayed that the suspect had a gunshot wound to the head and was down, according to law enforcement recordings released after the incident.

Most of the other victims have since been discharged from care, hospital officials said. Sophia’s recovery remains uncertain, and doctors emphasized that progress can be slow and variable after severe brain injury. "It’s day by day. I can’t tell you how it’s going to end," Galicich said at the news conference, noting that while there were recent encouraging signs, the long-term outcome remained unclear.

The case has drawn widespread attention and an outpouring of support locally and internationally. Family members and medical staff have described continued prayers and messages of solidarity from communities across the globe.

Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances of the shooting. The hospital and family have asked for privacy as Sophia remains under intensive care and receives ongoing treatment.

Sophia’s upgrade to serious condition marks a notable turn in the months after the attack, but physicians and the family reiterated that rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury often requires prolonged monitoring and care. Medical teams said they will continue to assess her neurological status and adjust treatment as needed while focusing on stabilizing her condition and supporting recovery.