Two children, aged eight and 10, killed in shooting with 17 others injured, including 14 children
Two children, ages 8 and 10 were killed, with 17 others being injured, 14 of those being children, said Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara.
He said:
“This worship service was marking the first week of school for children that are attending the Annunciation Catholic school.
During the mass, a gunman approached on the outside, on the side of the building and began firing a rifle through the church windows, towards the children sitting in the pews at the mass.
He struck children and worshippers that were inside the building. The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible …
Two young children, ages 8 and 10 were killed where they sat in the pews, their parents have been notified. 17 other people were injured, 14 of them being children. Two of those children are in critical condition. The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life in the rear of the church.”
Key events
Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara provided more details about the shooter, saying:
“It appeared he had some black clothing on, cargo type pants.”
He added:
“I do believe there was one, I guess you would call it a smoke bomb, like not an explosive, but a sort of a firework that would release smoke.”
Police are now working to determine a motive from the shooter.
Speaking to reporters, police chief Brian O’Hara said:
“We believe it is one suspect, a sole shooter. We believe he is deceased. He is in his early 20s, does not have an extensive known criminal history, and we are looking through information left behind to try and determine some type of motive…”
O’Hara added that it remains to be determined whether he was a former school employee or a former student.
“There’s a vehicle that we believe that the suspect used, that is being searched, and we will be conducting other searches related to this inside the parking lot,” he said.
O’Hara also said the shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol.
Two children, aged eight and 10, killed in shooting with 17 others injured, including 14 children
Two children, ages 8 and 10 were killed, with 17 others being injured, 14 of those being children, said Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara.
He said:
“This worship service was marking the first week of school for children that are attending the Annunciation Catholic school.
During the mass, a gunman approached on the outside, on the side of the building and began firing a rifle through the church windows, towards the children sitting in the pews at the mass.
He struck children and worshippers that were inside the building. The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible …
Two young children, ages 8 and 10 were killed where they sat in the pews, their parents have been notified. 17 other people were injured, 14 of them being children. Two of those children are in critical condition. The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life in the rear of the church.”
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey is holding a press conference currently.
“There are families that have a deceased child. You can not put into words the gravity, the tragedy, or the pain of this situation … Those families are suffering immense pain right now. Think of this as if it were your own.
Every one of us needs to be wrapping our arms around these families, giving them every ounce that we can muster. These were Minneapolis families. These were American families, and the amount of pain that they are suffering right now is extraordinary.”
The Department of Homeland Security has also been notified of the shooting, with secretary Kristi Noem saying:
“DHS is monitoring the horrific shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available. I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families.”
Minnesota leaders briefed on incident
Minnesota leaders including governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis governor Jacob Frey, as well as congressional senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith have been briefed on the incident.
Writing on X, Walz said:
I’ve been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information. The BCA and State Patrol are on scene. I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.
Meanwhile, Frey said:
“I’m monitoring reports of horrific violence in South Minneapolis. I’m in touch with Chief O’Hara and our emergency response team has been activated. We will share more information as soon as we can. Please give our officers the space they need to respond to the situation.”
Similarly, Klobuchar said:
“I am heartbroken by the horrific violence at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis this morning. My prayers are with the students, teachers, and families, and I am grateful for the first responders who are on the scene.”
Smith wrote:
“My staff and I are monitoring the situation at Annunciation Catholic School. I’m grateful for the quick response of law enforcement as we continue to gather information. It’s the first week of school. These kids should not be fearing for their lives.
Multiple victims dead after shooting at Minneapolis Catholic school
Police responded to an active shooter incident at a Catholic school in south Minneapolis on Wednesday, with sources confirming there are multiple victims and that the shooter is now dead.
Children’s Minnesota hospital told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it currently has five children “admitted to our hospital for care” and “will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families”.
The city of Minneapolis’s official X account said there is “no active threat to the community at this time” as of 10:29am EST. “The shooter is contained. Stay away from the area to allow emergency personnel to help victims – W. 54th Street between Lyndale and Nicollet Ave,” the city wrote.
A justice department official confirmed to Reuters that three people were dead, including the shooter, and 20 injured.
Fox 9 also reported that the first call to law enforcement went through at 8.27am local time, shortly after a mass for students was slated to kick off at 8.15am.
The police department from Richfield, a suburb that borders Minneapolis, told Fox 9 there were 20 victims.
“A man dressed in all black and armed with a rifle was reported at the scene,” the Richfield police department said.
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates.
