Gunfire erupted Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during first-day mass.
The shooter fired a rifle through church windows while also carrying a shotgun and a pistol.
Police confirmed he killed two children, aged eight and ten, and wounded 17 others before killing himself.
Authorities contained the shooter and declared no ongoing threat to residents.
Officials Condemn Attack
Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the shooting “sheer cruelty and cowardice” in a press briefing.
Governor Tim Walz described the attack as “horrific” and prayed for students and teachers affected.
Children’s Minnesota admitted five victims, while Hennepin Healthcare treated additional patients from the shooting.
President Donald Trump confirmed he received briefings and said federal officials would continue monitoring the situation.
School Evacuates Families
Officials evacuated the school and guided families to a reunification zone on campus.
Annunciation Catholic School, founded in 1923, had been holding morning mass for pre-kindergarten to 13-14-year-olds.
Social media posts earlier in the week showed children enjoying back-to-school activities, summer art, and ice pops.
Rising Violence in Minneapolis
The school shooting marked Minneapolis’ fourth fatal shooting in less than 24 hours.
Tuesday, gunfire outside a high school killed one and wounded six.
Hours later, two more shootings claimed two additional lives.
Meanwhile, at least a dozen U.S. college campuses received hoax shooting calls, sometimes with gunshot sounds.
Universities sent “run, hide, fight” alerts, frightening students nationwide as the school year began.
