Annunciation church school shooting kills kids in Minneapolis

A gunman killed two young children and injured 17 people gathered at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis for a service on Wednesday to mark the first week of the parish’s school, police said.

Fourteen of the injured are children, two of whom are in critical condition, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a press conference.

The children who died were eight and 10 years old, O’Hara said.

The shooter is dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound, he said.

The attack occurred just before 8:30 a.m. local time, as the children attended the service at the church.

The gunman, armed with a rifle, a pistol, and a shotgun and clad in black cargo-style pants, positioned himself on the outside of the building and began firing through windows toward the children, who were sitting in pews.

The shooter, who is in his 20s and does not have an extensive criminal history, is believed to have acted alone, O’Hara said.

The chief said he was not aware if the shooter was a former employee or student of Annunciation.

“The sheer cruelty and cowardice, the firing into a church full of children, is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying!”

“There are no words that can capture the horror and the evil of this unspeakable act,” Frey said.

“Do not think of these as just somebody else’s kids. Those families are suffering immense pain right now. Think of this as if it were your own,” the mayor added.

Before the shooter was declared contained, Gov. Tim Walz said he had been briefed on the shooting and that he was “praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”

President Donald Trump spoke to Walz after the shooting, a White House official told NBC.

Trump “called to offer his condolences to the people of Minnesota and Governor Walz thanked him for the support,”  a source familiar with the call told NBC.

Trump wrote on Truth Social later Wednesday morning, “I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota.”

“The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” Trump wrote.

Minnesota’s U.S. senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, thanked first responders and expressed grief over the violence.

“It’s the first week of school. These kids should not be fearing for their lives,” Smith wrote.

This is breaking news. Please check back for updates.