The quiet morning at Annunciation Catholic Church in south Minneapolis turned into a scene of unimaginable terror on Wednesday.
What began as a start-of-year mass for students and staff quickly escalated when a gunman opened fire on the church, leaving the community shaken.
Two Young Lives Lost and Several Injured
Tragically, two children—aged eight and ten—were killed while seated in the pews during the service.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that 17 people, including 14 children, were injured in what he described as a “deliberate act of violence.”
The shooter, an early-20s male dressed in black, had no known criminal record.
Authorities say he fired dozens of rounds from a rifle, shotgun, and pistol through the church’s stained glass windows before taking his own life at the rear of the building.
Shooting Originated Outside the Church
Investigators found that no shell casings were inside the church, indicating that most, if not all, of the gunfire came from outside.
The suspect’s vehicle, parked on church property, is being examined, and a smoke bomb “firework” was discovered at the scene.
Parents, Students, and Staff Traumatized
Students and teachers were attending the mass just two days into the new school year.
Witnesses described the horror as the gunman fired “50 to 100 shots” while children and staff sat helplessly in their pews.
One young boy, having survived the attack, reportedly told his father, “I don’t feel safe.”
Emergency responders rushed critically injured children to hospitals, with medics reporting multiple victims with gunshot wounds to the head.
Evacuations and Reunifications
Dozens of children were evacuated from the church, many visibly injured and in shock.
Local residents assisted in helping children who had been shot, while parents were allowed to enter the campus in small groups to collect their children.
A reunification zone was quickly established nearby to help families reconnect safely.
Law Enforcement Swarms the Scene
Minnesota state troopers, local police, SWAT teams, FBI agents, paramedics, and multiple ambulances responded to the scene.
Officials emphasized that the shooter was contained and that there was no ongoing threat to the wider community.
Residents were urged to avoid the area to allow first responders to assist victims.
Heartbreaking Accounts from Families
Senator Amy Klobuchar shared a personal perspective, recounting that one of her longtime employees had three children present during the shooting.
The seventh-grade daughter witnessed her friends being shot and was forced to hide under pews with others, communicating the devastating news to parents amidst the chaos.
National Leaders React
President Donald Trump said he was fully briefed on the incident and that the White House would continue monitoring the situation.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called the attack “horrific” and confirmed coordination with federal partners.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey both expressed deep sorrow and said they were closely monitoring the situation.
A Community Left Shaken
Annunciation Catholic Church and its connected school, serving prekindergarten through eighth grade since 1923, was celebrating the new school year just days earlier.
Social media photos from Monday show smiling students in green uniforms enjoying the first day of school—a stark contrast to the terror that unfolded on Wednesday.
Families walked away holding children’s hands, wiping tears, and comforting one another.
A Disturbing Trend
Wednesday’s tragedy is part of a troubling series of shootings in Minneapolis over less than 24 hours.
A previous incident outside a Catholic high school left one dead and six injured, while two other shootings claimed additional lives in the city.
The church shooting also followed a wave of hoax alerts at numerous college campuses nationwide, compounding fears as the school year begins.
