Gunman kills two children, injures 17 in Minneapolis church attack
The shooting, which struck the Annunciation Church in southern Minneapolis, unfolded as dozens of children from a nearby Catholic school gathered to mark their first week back in class.
A church service in Minneapolis turned into tragedy on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire on pupils attending Mass, killing two children and leaving 17 others injured, police said.
The shooting, which struck the Annunciation Church in southern Minneapolis, unfolded as dozens of children from a nearby Catholic school gathered to mark their first week back in class.
City police chief Brian O'Hara said the attacker, a man in his early twenties, sprayed the congregation with gunfire using a rifle, shotgun and pistol before taking his own life in the church parking lot.
"Two young children, ages eight and 10, were killed where they sat in the pews," O'Hara said. Among the wounded were 14 children, with two victims in critical condition.
Doctors at the Hennepin County Medical Center confirmed that two adults and nine children aged between six and 14 were receiving treatment, and at least four required immediate surgery. O'Hara said the shooter acted alone and did not have an extensive criminal record. Investigators were examining “information left behind” to establish a possible motive.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed sorrow, writing on X: "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."
The attack sparked panic outside the church, with video footage showing parents rushing away with their children, many still in school uniforms of green polo shirts.
The violence comes just two months after a senior Democratic lawmaker and her husband were killed outside Minneapolis, an incident that led to a statewide manhunt. O'Hara described the latest tragedy as "a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping," calling it "absolutely incomprehensible."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged leaders not to dismiss the tragedy with empty words. "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. These are kids that should be learning with their friends. They should be playing on the playground. They should be able to go to school or church in peace without the fear or risk of violence," he said.
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the "tragic shooting" and confirmed that the FBI was responding. "The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!" he wrote on Truth Social. A White House official later said Trump had spoken with Governor Walz, noting that he had not made such a call after the June assassination of a Minnesota lawmaker.
The mass shooting adds to the growing toll of gun violence in the United States, where firearms outnumber people and efforts to tighten gun laws remain mired in political deadlock. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 287 mass shootings this year, with more than 16,700 people killed by firearms last year, not counting suicides.
Among the worst school tragedies in recent memory was the 2022 Uvalde shooting in Texas, where an 18-year-old gunman killed 19 pupils and two teachers. Wednesday’s incident also comes amid a spate of false reports of active shooters at US college campuses as students return from summer break.
