At just 13 years old, Javen Willis has become a hero.
In the midst of chaos, he didn’t hesitate to help his classmates and lead them to safety during the tragic school shooting in Minneapolis. Where did such courage come from? From prayer, and the firm belief that with God by his side, everything would be all right.
On Wednesday, August 27, 2025, during the first Mass of the school year at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, Minnesota, a 23-year-old man identified as Robin Westman opened fire on those gathered. The attack left two children, ages 8 and 10, dead, and 17 others injured.
Javen, an eighth-grader at the school, was inside the church when the shooting began. He later shared his experience in an interview with the TODAY show, explaining how, amid the panic, he managed to guide his classmates to safety.
The teen, who had been baptized only the week before, recalled that while many initially thought the sound was fireworks or confetti, he quickly realized it was something far more dangerous.
“At that moment, all I could think about was trying to keep everyone as safe as possible. So I told my two buddies to get down and get under the pew. And right when I told them that, it was like a state of shock for me, but I knew I had to try to keep as many people around me as I could safe,” he said.
Under the pew, Javen began to pray. He soon realized he couldn’t simply stay hidden—he needed to help others.
“Well, right when it happened, I dropped down under the pew, like I said, and I prayed, and I said my few prayers. And then I realized I can’t just sit here and focus on myself, knowing that with God on my side, I would be fine. So I tried to just go and help out my classmates, to try to keep them calm and safe, and let them know that they’ll be okay.”
His mother, Melissa, described the overwhelming relief of being reunited with her son after the tragedy.
“I just cried. I just thanked God and cried and held him. And, thankfully, I was one of those who got to see my kid when I got there.”
Even as the trauma unfolded, Javen didn’t forget to show gratitude. Upon leaving the church, he immediately thanked the officers who rushed to the scene.
“I didn’t want to just sit there and think about it, so I just thanked the officers, because without them, who knows how much worse it could have been? It was bad in general, but it could have been way worse than that if they didn’t show up when they did.”