The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson What Was Said at the Mic: Press Conference Analysis After the Annunciation Catholic School Shooting
A shooting inside a Minneapolis church during a back-to-school Mass left two children dead and several others injured. The Annunciation Catholic School community was shattered. The country watched. And almost immediately, public officials and school leaders stood in front of microphones, tasked with speaking into heartbreak.
In this episode, examining what was said—and how it was said—during the press conferences that followed.
Joining the conversation with Molly is Greg Floyd, evening anchor and investigative reporter at WRGB-TV in Albany. A six-time Emmy winner with multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, Greg brings deep experience in live coverage, newsroom leadership, and the complexity of reporting local stories with national weight.
Together, we break down the structure, tone, and delivery of each speaker—from elected officials to faith leaders—and explore what communicators can learn from how these moments were handled.
What We Cover:
- The context behind the headlines: children, a church, and the first week of school
- Mayor Jacob Frey’s restrained approach, and why one line (“These children were praying”) shaped the narrative
- Police Chief Brian O’Hara’s directness, structure, and use of the repeated-question technique
- Principal Matt DeBoer’s calm, clarity, and emotional authority—including a powerful reflection on older students protecting younger ones
- The possible public misstep by Archbishop Bernard Hebda, and the risk of correcting others in a crisis moment
- How local media elevated the story’s tone, and why Twin Cities press markets matter in national perception
- The visual language of crisis: from rolled-up sleeves to school-branded t-shirts
- Why the absence of scripts—and the presence of emotion—can carry more weight than any prepared statement
Want More Behind the Breakdown?
Follow The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson on Substack for early access to podcast episodes, exclusive member chats, weekly lives, and monthly workshops that go deeper than the mic. It's the insider’s hub for communicators who want strategy with spine—and a little side-eye where it counts.
Follow Molly → @MollyMcPherson
Subscribe to PR Breakdown on Substack → prbreakdown.media
Click here to subscribe to Molly's live events.
Need a Keynote Speaker? Drawing from real-world PR battles, Molly delivers the same engaging stories and hard-won crisis insights from the podcast to your live audience. Click here to book Molly for your next meeting.
This podcast is supported by Muck Rack, the PR management platform I use to monitor media coverage, track journalist activity, and inform high-stakes strategy with real-time data. Click here to try Muck Rack for yourself.
Follow & Connect with Molly: