Minneapolis Church Mass Shooting Leaves Two Children Dead, 17 Injured
MINNEAPOLIS – A tragic mass shooting unfolded inside Annunciation Church in southern Minneapolis on Wednesday, leaving two children dead and 17 others injured during a school Mass.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters the attacker opened fire with multiple weapons — including a rifle, shotgun, and pistol — as dozens of students gathered for the service marking their first week back to school.
“Two young children, ages eight and ten, were killed where they sat in the pews,” O’Hara said, adding that 14 of the wounded were also children. Two victims remained in critical condition late Wednesday.
The gunman, believed to be in his early twenties, took his own life in the church parking lot. Authorities said he had no significant criminal history and appeared to have acted alone. Investigators are reviewing “information left behind” in search of a motive.
Doctors at Hennepin County Medical Center said two adults and nine children, aged six to 14, were being treated, with at least four undergoing emergency surgery.
Minnesota in Mourning
Governor Tim Walz called the tragedy “heartbreaking,” writing on X: “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.”
Video from outside the church showed panicked parents rushing to safety with children in green school uniforms.
The attack comes just two months after the killing of a prominent Democratic lawmaker and her husband outside Minneapolis, a crime that sparked a statewide manhunt.
Global Condolences
Pope Leo XIV, the first American to lead the Catholic Church, said he was “profoundly saddened” by the shooting. In a Vatican statement, he expressed condolences “especially to the families now grieving the loss of a child.”
‘Sheer Cruelty and Cowardice’
Calling the attack “a deliberate act of violence against innocent children,” Chief O’Hara condemned the shooting as “sheer cruelty and cowardice.”
The massacre adds to the grim toll of gun violence in the United States, where mass shootings remain alarmingly common. So far this year, there have been at least 287 such incidents nationwide, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Last year alone, 16,700 people were killed in firearms-related violence, excluding suicides.
Among the most notorious tragedies was the 2022 Uvalde school shooting in Texas, where 19 students and two teachers were killed.
Leaders React
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged the nation to move beyond “thoughts and prayers.”
“These kids were literally praying,” Frey said. “They should be playing on the playground, not dying in a church. No child should go to school or worship in fear.”
President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “tragic shooting” and confirmed the FBI was assisting local authorities. He later spoke with Governor Walz, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in last year’s election.
The shooting also comes amid a surge of false active-shooter reports across U.S. college campuses as students return from summer break, deepening fears in communities already on edge.
Mutib Khalid is a skilled content writer and digital marketer with a knack for crafting compelling narratives and optimizing digital strategies. Excel in creating engaging content that drives results and enhances online presence. Passionate about blending creativity with data-driven approaches, Mutib Khalid helps brands connect with their audience and achieve their goals.