Minneapolis awoke to tragedy on Wednesday when gunfire shattered a back-to-school Mass at Annunciation Catholic School, leaving two children dead and 17 others injured. The violence, which unfolded inside a house of worship, has rattled the city and cast a pall over what should have been a day of celebration and renewal.
At a press conference hours after the attack, Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that the victims were eight and ten years old, killed as they sat quietly in church pews. “Their parents have been notified,” O’Hara said, his voice heavy with grief. Fourteen of the wounded were children, two of whom remain in critical condition. Armed with a rifle, shotgun, and handgun, the gunman fired through classroom windows and into the sanctuary before taking his own life. O’Hara denounced the assault as an “unthinkable tragedy,” describing the shooter as a coward.
Hospitals treat survivors as families mourn
Mayor Jacob Frey did not mince words. “Children are dead. There are families that have a deceased child,” he said, urging Minnesotans to rally around those enduring unimaginable loss. At Hennepin County Medical Center, Dr. Thomas Wyatt said 11 patients were treated—nine children and two adults, ages six to 14. Four required surgery, but, he noted, “no further deaths occurred among those admitted.” Children’s Minnesota Hospital confirmed it was also caring for five young patients.
Governor Tim Walz said he had been briefed and pledged continued updates as the investigation unfolds. President Donald Trump posted on social media, calling for prayers for the families affected. Renee Lego, a parishioner whose children were inside the school, described the terror: “It’s just horrific – so cowardly,” she said, adding that her children first mistook the gunfire for fireworks.
The shooting was the fourth in Minneapolis within 24 hours, a grim reminder of the toll gun violence continues to take on schools. Nationwide, more than 140 shootings have already been reported at elementary and secondary schools in 2025. For Minneapolis, the immediate task is mourning and recovery, even as the community searches for ways to prevent such devastation from striking again.