A singular image of the Annunciation Church and School shooting described the horror and panic without words.
It’s a searing photograph of a mother running barefoot, her shoes in each hand, toward the chaotic scene this summer in south Minneapolis. It was recently recognized by Time magazine. Minnesota Star Tribune staff photographer Rich Tsong-Taatarii captured the moment that made Time’s Top 100 Photos of 2025.
“While it is touching that Time recognized this image as resonating with people throughout the world, I wish there was a world where these type of events were a lot less common,” Tsong-Taatarii wrote in response to the recognition.
Two children, 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, were killed and 28 others were injured when gunfire infiltrated the church sanctuary Aug. 27 during the first morning mass of the school year.
Tsong-Taatarii described how he made the viral image in a Star Tribune interview.
“I noticed this woman who was already running towards the school with her sandals on, but she couldn’t negotiate it fast enough to get there in her own desperate way,” Tsong-Taatarii said. “So she took them off and, you know, ran barefoot. ... I could sense her desperation, her mama bear instincts, so I knew I had to, you know, capture that.”
Tsong-Taatarii has worked for the Star Tribune since 1999. He is an internationally acclaimed documentary photographer with a master’s degree in visual communication from Ohio University.
His focus on documenting social issues of underrepresented minorities has earned him many honors, including being part of the team Pulitzer Prize in breaking news for covering the aftermath of George Floyd’s death.
