A 12-year-old girl shot in the head during last month’s deadly church attack in Minneapolis has made what her family has called a “miraculous” recovery.
Sophia Forchas, the most seriously injured child to survive the 27th of August shooting at the Church of the Annunciation, was moved this week from intensive care to an inpatient rehabilitation programme.
Her family credited God’s grace and the power of prayer for her progress.
“By God’s will, she has come this far,” the family said in a statement released by Hennepin Healthcare, where Sophia has been treated since the attack.
“We ask that you continue to pray for her as she walks this road to recovery,” they added.
Sophia and her classmates from Annunciation Catholic School were attending the first Mass of the new school year when the shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, opened fire through the church’s stained-glass windows.
Two students, Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, were killed and 21 others were injured before Westman died by suicide.
Sophia underwent emergency brain surgery after a bullet caused extensive damage, including to a major blood vessel. Surgeons removed the left half of her skull to relieve pressure on her brain.
Despite the trauma, her family expressed deep faith: “Sophia is strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing. Her resilience continues to inspire hope at every step.”
In the aftermath, parents including Carla Maldonado and Malia Kimbrell urged lawmakers to enact stricter gun laws, including an assault weapons ban. The Catholic Herald reported that they argued such firearms have no place in schools or churches.
However, gun rights advocates, including Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, countered that Westman had obtained his weapons legally and that reform efforts should instead focus on mental health and threat prevention.