A powerful photograph capturing a mother's desperate sprint toward her child's school during a deadly shooting has been recognized as one of Time Magazine's Top 100 Photos of 2025. The haunting image, taken by Minnesota Star Tribune staff photographer Rich Tsong-Taatarii, shows a barefoot woman running toward Annunciation Church and School in Minneapolis with her shoes clutched in her hands during the tragic August shooting that claimed two young lives.

The photograph was captured on August 27, 2025, during an active shooter situation at Annunciation Church and School in south Minneapolis. The incident occurred during the first morning mass of the school year, resulting in the deaths of two children: 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski. Twenty-eight others were injured when gunfire erupted in the church sanctuary.

Tsong-Taatarii described the moment he captured the viral image in a Star Tribune interview, explaining how he witnessed the woman's transformation from hurried concern to raw desperation. "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."

The photographer reflected on the bittersweet nature of the recognition, acknowledging both the honor and the tragedy it represents. "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.

Tsong-Taatarii brings extensive experience and acclaim to his work at the Star Tribune, where he has been employed since 1999. He holds a master's degree in visual communication from Ohio University and has built an international reputation as a documentary photographer. His focus on documenting social issues affecting underrepresented minorities has earned him numerous prestigious honors, including being part of the team that won a Pulitzer Prize for breaking news coverage of the aftermath of George Floyd's death.

The photographer's portfolio of award-winning work extends beyond local coverage to international recognition. Tsong-Taatarii has received the World Press Photo award and a Photographer of the Year award from the National Press Photographers Association for his powerful coverage of the Rohingya exodus, Standing Rock protests, and the Black Lives Matter movement.

Time magazine's photo department conducts an annual selection process to identify the strongest images captured over the previous 12 months. Tsong-Taatarii's photograph earned its place on this prestigious list with the caption: "A parent runs toward the school during an active shooter situation at the Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, Minn., on Aug. 27."

The emotional impact of the photograph has resonated far beyond its initial publication, generating widespread public response and media attention. The image became the focus of numerous letters to the editor, countless Facebook posts, and was featured in a segment on the Today show, demonstrating its profound effect on viewers across the nation.

Dr. Lauren Walsh, director of the Gallatin Photojournalism Intensive at New York University, analyzed the photograph's emotional power for the Today show segment. "We can feel her desperate energy," Walsh explained. "The fact that we don't see her face allows the viewer to slot themselves into her position, the terrifying position that any parent in this setting might confront: That could be me. What if this happened at my child's school?"

The recognition of this photograph serves as both an artistic achievement and a sobering reminder of the ongoing crisis of gun violence in American schools. While the image captures a moment of individual human drama and parental love, it also represents the broader societal challenge of protecting children in educational environments and the lasting impact such tragedies have on communities nationwide.