Annunciation mass shooting: Boy who spoke to reporters in viral interview needs surgery

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The 10-year-old boy who spoke to reporters after the Annunciation mass shooting will need to undergo surgery to have a bullet fragment removed from his neck. 

Weston Halsne said he was saved by his friend Victor, who was shot in the back while protecting him from gunfire.

Now, the fifth-grader has learned he will need to undergo surgery to remove a bullet fragment discovered near his neck’s carotid artery.

READ MORE: Annunciation Church school shooting: Boy shot while protecting friend

Support for Weston's Healing journey 

What they're saying:

"It was very scary," Weston said on Wednesday. "We really didn’t know what to do. We just got into the pews and [the shooter] shot through the stained-glass windows."

Weston was well-spoken when interacting with reporters in the immediate aftermath of the attack.

The GoFundMe for Weston recalls his "grief-stricken face" and "account of the horrific details" when he spoke about the shooting.

Despite all this, Weston has still expressed his appreciation for his friends while praying for their recovery, according to the GoFundMe. 

"Victor was laying on top of me making sure I was safe. He got hit, so that was really brave of him," Weston said during last week's interview.

It was during that interview that Weston showed FOX 9 a minor injury he believed was debris. But in the days following the interview, doctors discovered a bullet fragment dangerously close to a major artery, requiring surgery.

The funds will go to medical bills for Weston's recovery, trauma counseling and support for his immediate family. His family shared on their fundraiser page that they are "overwhelmed and thankful" for the more than $30,000 in donations they’ve received so far.

His family is asking for continued prayers and support as they prepare for what’s next.

Annunciation mass shooting: What happened

The backstory:

At 8:27 a.m. on Aug. 27, the first 911 calls came in and several law enforcement agencies responded to a report of a shooting at the Annunciation Church and Catholic School in south Minneapolis. 

A shooter dressed in black approached the outside of the church and opened fire through the stained-glass windows toward children sitting in the pews during mass on their first week back at school. 

The shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, and shot off more than 100 rounds. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said police recovered three shotgun shells and 116 rifle rounds, as well as one live round that was recovered from a handgun that appears to have malfunctioned. Authorities do not believe the shooter ever entered the church before the shooter died by suicide in the parking lot.

First responders arrived at the scene at 8:31 a.m. and rescued children hiding throughout the church. O'Hara said an officer ran into the church with no helmet or gear.

"The parishioner later told me that was the first time that he, the children and others there had any sense that they might be safe and survive," O'Hara said of the officer running into the church. 

Read more about the Annunciation mass shooting:

• What we know so far - Aug. 28 updates
• What we know about the victims
• What’s known about shooting suspect Robin Westman
• Victim recalls ‘super scary’ attack during mass
• Emergency audio reveals medical response, injuries
• How you can help
• Search warrant reveals new details about the shooter
• What we know about the shooter's motive
• All stories related to the Annunciation Church and School shooting