Stewartville union president calls shootings at high school ‘unimaginable and heartbreaking’
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STEWARTVILLE, Minnesota. Dec. 12, 2025 – The president of the Stewartville United Educators labor union released the following statement Friday in response to the shootings outside Stewartville High School that critically wounded a student and left an adult male dead of a self-inflicted wound.
“Today has been an unimaginable and heartbreaking day for our school community,” said Charlie Aitken (AY-kuhn), president of the union. “As educators, we are united in grief, in concern for one another, and in our commitment to supporting our students and colleagues through this tragedy.”
Aitken commended the coaches who helped the student who was shot Friday morning as the wrestling team was boarding a bus for an out-of-town meet, and the first responders and community leaders who have rallied around the school district.
“Even when the unthinkable happened, the school staff stayed calm and did their best,” he said. “We have a strong community in Stewartville and we’re going to rely on that strength to support our educators, coaches and students through this horrible time.”
Aitken said he has asked educators and members of the school athletics community to avoid posting rumors about the incident on social media because misinformation spreads quickly and can cause further harm.
He said the SUE would not comment on the facts of the case or speculate about the motives of the people involved. He asked the media to direct questions to the Olmsted County Sheriff’s Department.
The Stewartville United Educators is a local union of Education Minnesota.
“Every educator has nightmares about tragedies like this,” said Monica Byron, president of Education Minnesota. “The 84,000 educators of our union have our colleagues in Stewartville in their thoughts today. We stand ready to support them.”
About Education Minnesota
Education Minnesota is the voice for professional educators and students. Education Minnesota’s members include teachers and education support professionals in Minnesota’s public school districts, faculty members at Minnesota’s community and technical colleges and University of Minnesota campuses in Duluth and Crookston, retired educators and student teachers. Education Minnesota is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and AFL-CIO.
