Gunman Kills 2 Children, Injures 17 Others During Catholic Mass

Chaos and heartbreak erupted this morning at Annunciation Catholic School, where a gunman opened fire during a packed school Mass. Police confirm two children are dead and 17 others injured, including 14 children.

It happened just after 8:30 a.m. Wednesday inside Annunciation Church during an all-school Mass. Witnesses say the shooter fired through stained-glass windows, spraying the pews with bullets while students prayed.

Police recovered multiple weapons at the scene — a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Authorities also discovered a smoke bomb, though it did not detonate.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the shooter died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the attack. “The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said during an emotional press briefing.

Two children, believed to be 8 and 10 years old, were killed while sitting with classmates. Seventeen others were wounded, and at least two remain in critical condition at local hospitals. Parents rushed to the school, many still waiting hours later for word about their children.

FBI, ATF, DHS, and state patrol agents are assisting Minneapolis police. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said federal authorities are monitoring the situation “minute by minute.”

President Donald Trump addressed the nation from the Oval Office: “This was an attack on our kids, our faith, and our way of life. We will restore law and order, and we will make our schools and churches safe again.”

Democrats immediately reignited calls for gun control. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called the shooting “horrifying” and demanded “weapons of war” be banned from “our neighborhoods, streets, and schools.” Republican lawmakers, however, focused on security failures. House Speaker Elise Stefanik urged “serious action to harden our schools, not disarm law-abiding Americans.”

Annunciation Catholic School serves pre-K through 8th grade students and holds weekly Mass. The attack comes just days into the new school year, leaving families shaken and demanding answers.

Authorities have yet to release the shooter’s identity or motive. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and social media activity.