Shooting During Morning Mass
Authorities in Minneapolis confirmed that two children were killed and 17 others injured in a mass shooting at a Catholic school in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning. Police Chief Brian O’Hara explained that the incident occurred just before 8:30 a.m. during a mass marking the first week of the new school year.
According to O’Hara, the victims were children aged eight and ten, who were struck as they sat in church pews. “Their parents have been notified. Seventeen other people were injured, 14 of them children. Two of those children are in critical condition. The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life,” O’Hara said.
The chief stated that the gunman used multiple weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, while firing into the church windows where dozens of children and worshippers had gathered. He described the event as an “unthinkable tragedy,” emphasizing the deliberate targeting of innocent children.
Details About the Shooter
O’Hara later revealed that the shooter was a man in his early 20s with no known criminal history. A vehicle connected to him was located and is under investigation. “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said.
City and State Leaders Respond
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey spoke emotionally at the press conference, noting the pain of the families affected. “Children are dead. There are families that have a deceased child. You cannot 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’s your own,” he said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed he had been briefed on the situation at Annunciation Catholic School and pledged to continue providing updates.
Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting” and added that “the White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” Reports later noted that Walz and Trump spoke about the tragedy on Wednesday.
