On March 21, 2005, Red Lake Senior High School in Red Lake, Minnesota became the site of a devastating and complex shooting. The assailant was Jeffrey Weise, a 16-year-old student and member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa on the reservation. Carrying his grandfather’s handgun and other firearms, Weise first shot his grandfather and his grandfather’s girlfriend at home before driving to the school.
At approximately 2:00 p.m., Weise entered the school armed with a 9mm pistol and a .22-caliber rifle. He shot staff and students in the commons area, where he killed seven people, including a teacher, a security officer, and several students. He then moved through the halls, wounding others before entering an empty classroom where he took his own life. Before leaving the classroom, Weise reportedly left messages expressing anger over racial tensions and mental health struggles.
Investigations later revealed Weise had suffered from depression and identity conflicts. He lived in group homes and had been social services–involved since childhood. Reports noted that he felt alienated—struggling with bullying, grief over the loss of family members, and a sense of rejection. In the weeks prior to the shooting, he accessed neo-Nazi and violent content online, though his exact motivations remained fragmented.
The attack lasted less than 15 minutes but left profound damage: nine people dead (including the initial victims at his home) and several others injured. The community response included immediate lockdowns, emergency counseling, and long-term efforts toward healing.
The Red Lake massacre was both a personal tragedy and a flashpoint in American school shootings. It illustrated how unresolved trauma, cultural dislocation, and untreated mental illness can feed into catastrophic violence.
Articles:
The shooting at Red Lake: What happened
What happened at Red Lake on March 21, 2005?
What I learned at the Red Lake school shooting
‘Good kid’ sentenced in Red Lake shootings
Feeling scars at Red Lake, 10 years later
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