- Shooter opened fire at Minneapolis Catholic school, killing two children and injuring 17 others
- Victims were attending Mass during the first week of school when the shooting occurred
- Shooter used rifle, shotgun and pistol, firing through church windows at children
A shooter opened fire at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday, killing two children and injuring 17 other people before killing himself, officials said. The children who died were 8 and 10.
The children were attending Mass during the first week of school. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, said that the shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol. The shooter came to the side of the church and shot dozens of rounds through the windows towards children sitting in the pews during Mass.
"This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible," the police chief said.
The shooter does not have an extensive known criminal history and was in his early 20s.
US President Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said that he had been briefed regarding the "tragic shooting" and that the White House continues to monitor the situation. "The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!", Trump wrote.
Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, also wrote on social media that he had been briefed about the shooting and that he is "praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence".
