Annunciation fifth grader receives national award for ‘extraordinary bravery’ during school shooting
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A Minneapolis fifth grader is receiving a national award for his actions to protect another student during the Annunciation Catholic Church and School shooting last year.
The Congressional Medal of Honor Society selected Victor Greenawalt as one of six recipients of a Citizen Honors Award. Victor Greenawalt, 11, shielded a classmate with his body as gunfire shattered through church glass windows and ricocheted off pews on Aug. 27 — as did many Annunciation students that morning.
The classmate, Weston Halsne, credited Greenawalt with saving his life while speaking to reporters shortly after the shooting.
“It was really scary," Weston told KARE 11 at the time. "My friend Victor, like, saved me, though. Because he laid on top of me. But he got hit.”
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The awards panel named Greenwalt as the 2026 Young Hero honoree for demonstrating “extraordinary bravery far beyond his years.”
“Instinctively, Victor protected a classmate with his own body, directly saving their life during the attack,” the panel shared in a news release. “His courage and selflessness became a powerful symbol of hope and humanity for a community in crisis.”
Greenawalt was hospitalized following the shooting. His sister was also injured, according to a verified GoFundMe.
He flew to Washington, D.C., with family for National Medal of Honor Day on Wednesday, which includes a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and an awards program in the evening.
“We are honored that Victor is receiving this incredible recognition for the act of protecting his friend on August 27th. He also represents the untold stories of the brave actions taken by many children and adults in response to the senseless violence that took Harper and Fletcher from us,” his mother Annie Greenawalt shared in a statement, referring to the two children killed during the shooting.
“It’s been meaningful for our family to understand how many people care about us and the entire Annunciation community. We will continue moving our feet to find ways to keep kids safe.”
