By Elise Hammond, Maureen Chowdhury, Andi Babineau, Dakin Andone, Arit John, Hannah Rabinowitz, Mark Morales

MINNEAPOLIS - At least two children were killed Wednesday in a shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis during a Mass to mark the first week of school, according to police, in a “deliberate act of violence.”

The deceased children were eight and 10 years old.

The shooting occurred during the first week of classes for Annunciation Catholic School, which serves students from preschool through eighth grade in southern Minneapolis.

While outside of the school, the gunman began “firing a rifle through church windows,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

The shots were fired “towards the children sitting in the pews at the mass, shooting through the windows. He struck children and worshipers that were inside the building,” he said.

O’Hara continued, “The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol.”

Despite initial reports, he confirmed that no explosive devices were found at the scene.

The suspect in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis is dead, O’Hara said.

“We believe it is one suspect, a sole shooter,” O’Hara said.

The suspect was in his early 20s and “does not have an extensive known criminal history,” O’Hara said.

Police are still investigating a possible motive.

Four of the 11 patients received by Hennepin County Medical Center required surgery, Dr. Thomas Wyatt, the chair of emergency medicine, said at a news conference.

Nine of the patients were children, while two were adults, Wyatt said.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has been briefed on the shooting. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the State Patrol are on the scene, the governor added.

“I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence,” Walz said.

President Donald Trump has similarly been briefed, he said on Truth Social, calling the incident a “tragic shooting.”

“Please join me,” the president said, “in praying for everyone involved!”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey offered condolences to the families of the victims of Wednesday’s shooting, dismissing any offers of “thoughts and prayers.”

“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” he said. “These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”

A man who lives near the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis said he heard “incredibly loud shots” from the direction of the school while working from home.

PJ Mudd told CNN when he realized what was happening, he ran over to try to help and saw “red smoke” and “bullets all along the path” to the school’s church.

He described the police showing up shortly after and children running from the building “screaming and crying.”

“It was awful,” Mudd said.

The-CNN-Wire
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