Catholic Schools Eye Enhanced Security in Response to Minnesota Shooting

In the Catholic Diocese of Buffalo, New York, 29 elementary schools now have armed security guards, and a California school plans to add bulletproof glass.

People mourn the two schoolchildren who were killed a day before during the Annunciation Catholic School shooting in Minneapolis, on Aug. 28, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

In the wake of the Aug. 27 tragedy in Minneapolis, in which two children were killed and 21 people were injured while praying during a back-to-school Mass, Catholic dioceses across the nation are inquiring about beefing up protections to include firearms training or armed guards.

Jimmy Graham, founder and CEO of the Able Shepherd emergency readiness training company, said he has answered at least one inquiry per day from religious organizations in the past month alone.

Graham, citing client confidentiality protocols, did not name any schools or specific locations, but he did say that Catholic schools from every region of the country have recently requested security assessments from his Denver-based firm.

“We’re pretty busy,” he told The Epoch Times.

In some cases, Graham predicts, a teacher or staff member will eventually complete his company’s firearms and tactical training program and carry a concealed weapon at school. The program instructs them in how to protect students and staff in an active shooter situation.

Unlike their public counterparts, private school organizations, regardless of religious affiliation, are not in a position to partner with municipal police departments for school resource officers. However, they can do business with private security firms.

Although gun laws vary by state and locality, Graham said that the Second Amendment and the right to protect children should supersede local regulations in an era in which hundreds of kids have been killed in school shootings.

“Let’s not ask permission,” he said. “How many dead kids ... [before] we’ll make it allowed?”

Although Able Shepherd prioritizes training people first, the firm also advises on other security measures.

Catholic leaders have unique needs, according to Graham. They want to preserve the architectural integrity of their facilities, even though the size and locations of windows and entry points could present vulnerabilities.

“We’ve been able to work with that and build security measures into the structures,” he said.

In New York state, the Diocese of Buffalo has announced that each of its 29 elementary schools will be staffed with armed security guards hired from a local agency for the entire 2025 to 2026 academic year.

According to a letter to parents publicized in local media outlets, the diocese has also hired a security consultant “who will assist ... principals, pastors, and faith formation leaders in creating and strengthening comprehensive safety plans tailored to each school community.”

The organization verified that letter in an email response to The Epoch Times.

“This initiative is a reflection of our shared belief that the safety of our children is priceless and must be protected with the highest level of care,” states the letter from Joleen Dimitroff, superintendent of Catholic elementary schools for the Diocese of Buffalo.

Catholic news services around the nation have also reported that dioceses are affirming and enhancing their existing security protocols to put concerned families at ease.

In New Mexico, for example, all school employees in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe must attend safety training coordinated by the local sheriff’s department, Angelus News reported.

In Paso Robles, California, leaders of a school are planning to install bulletproof glass around the front office and the entire back side of the building.

Previous security updates there include bulletproof glass in four classrooms that face the parking lot and main entrance, as well as 40 cameras throughout the campus, National Catholic Register reported on Sept. 18.

Twenty-three states limit firearms on school campuses to authorized security personnel, and Idaho and Kansas allow school employees who have concealed carry licenses to bring guns to school if granted school permission.

In Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, and some districts in Tennessee, school employees who want to carry a gun must complete required training in addition to holding a license and obtaining school permission.

In New Hampshire, state law prohibits students from bringing firearms to school but allows employees to do so, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

 T.J. Muscaro contributed to this report.