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Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: two children killed and 17 injured Minneapolis Catholic school shooting: two children killed and 17 injured
(30 minutes later)
Suspect also dead, police confirm, and 14 of those hurt are children in shooting during mass in south MinneapolisSuspect also dead, police confirm, and 14 of those hurt are children in shooting during mass in south Minneapolis
Minneapolis shooting – latest updatesMinneapolis shooting – latest updates
Officials said two children were killed and 17 injured in a mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday.Officials said two children were killed and 17 injured in a mass shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Wednesday.
Police responded to a shooter incident at a Catholic school in south Minneapolis early on Wednesday morning. Brian O’Hara, Minneapolis police chief, said in a press conference on Wednesday that two children, ages eight and 10, were killed in church pews during a mass. Police responded to a shooter incident at Annunciation Catholic school in south Minneapolis early on Wednesday morning. Brian O’Hara, Minneapolis police chief, said in a press conference on Wednesday that two children, ages eight and 10, had been killed in church pews during a mass.
“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.“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 explained that the “unthinkable tragedy” took place just before 8.30am during a worship service marking the first week of school. The gunman approached on the outside of the building and began firing a rifle into the windows toward the children sitting in the pews. He struck both children and worshippers with various weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol. The chief explained that the “unthinkable tragedy” took place just before 8.30am during a worship service marking the first week of school. The gunman approached the outside of the building and began firing a rifle into the windows toward the children sitting in the pews. He struck both children and worshippers with various weapons, including a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol.
O’Hara also added that there were dozens of children at the mass at the time. O’Hara added that there were dozens of children at the mass at the time.
He later said the shooter was in his early 20s and did not have a known criminal history. Additionally, the shooter left behind a vehicle that is also being searched.He later said the shooter was in his early 20s and did not have a known criminal history. Additionally, the shooter left behind a vehicle that is also being searched.
Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, said earlier in the same conference: “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.” “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.
Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, who has led Minneapolis since 2018, said earlier in the same conference: “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 continued, visibly angry: “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”
In a separate conference run by Hennepin county medical center’s chair of emergency medicine, Dr Thomas Wyatt, Wyatt said the hospital had received 11 patients, including two adults and nine children, ranging in age from six to 14. Four required the operating room, but no fatalities were related to those brought in.In a separate conference run by Hennepin county medical center’s chair of emergency medicine, Dr Thomas Wyatt, Wyatt said the hospital had received 11 patients, including two adults and nine children, ranging in age from six to 14. Four required the operating room, but no fatalities were related to those brought in.
Children’s Minnesota hospital told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it had five children “admitted to our hospital for care” and “will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families”.Children’s Minnesota hospital told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that it had five children “admitted to our hospital for care” and “will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families”.
Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, said he’d been “briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic school” on Wednesday morning and would “continue to provide updates as we get more information”.Minnesota’s governor, Tim Walz, said he’d been “briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic school” on Wednesday morning and would “continue to provide updates as we get more information”.
“The [Bureau of Criminal Apprehension] 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,” he wrote on X. He later posted: “Minnesota is heartbroken. From the officers responding, to the clergy and teachers providing comfort, to the hospital staff saving lives, we will get through this together. Hug your kids close.”
Donald Trump also said on Truth Social on Wednesday morning that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting” and that the “White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”Donald Trump also said on Truth Social on Wednesday morning that he had been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting” and that the “White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”
Later on Wednesday, reports circulated that Walz and the president had spoken about the shooting.Later on Wednesday, reports circulated that Walz and the president had spoken about the shooting.
The US secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, said on X that the Department of Homeland Security was monitoring the shooting. Renee Lego, an Annunciation parishioner who has a fifth grader and an eighth grader at the school, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that her older son thought the gunshots were “fireworks or a gas explosion” before he saw people falling.
“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,” Noem said. “Both my kids have blood on them,” she said. “It’s just horrific – so cowardly. This person knew this was our first all-school mass of the year. It was obviously planned. This is the children’s mass, not an advertised mass for the public.”
The Hennepin county sheriff’s office said in a statement that it was “actively assisting the Minneapolis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies” and urged “all residents to stay out of the affected area to allow emergency responders to operate effectively”. The US secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem, said on X that the department of Homeland Security was monitoring the situation.
“This is an evolving situation and we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this act of violence,” it said. Students at the school, which enrolls children from preschool through eighth grade, had only just returned for their first day back from summer break on Monday. The school’s Facebook page shared images this week of students reuniting and parking their bikes.
Students at the Annunciation Catholic school, which enrolls children from preschool through eighth grade, only just returned for their first day back from summer break on Monday. The school’s Facebook page shared images this week of students reuniting and parking their bikes.
Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth shooting in 24 hours in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the course of Tuesday into Wednesday, three people were shot and killed in three separate incidents. At least eight people also suffered gunshot wounds in those shootings.Wednesday’s incident marks the fourth shooting in 24 hours in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Over the course of Tuesday into Wednesday, three people were shot and killed in three separate incidents. At least eight people also suffered gunshot wounds in those shootings.
There have been more than 140 shootings reported in elementary and secondary schools in 2025 thus far, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
Outside of Minneapolis, there have also been a spate of active shooter hoaxes this week. On Monday, six universities had active shooter reports and all of them turned were unfounded.