An attacker opened fire during a morning Mass at Annunciation Church adjacent to an affiliated Catholic school in south Minneapolis. Two children, ages eight and ten, were killed in the pews and 17 others were wounded, including 14 children; the remaining victims were expected to survive. Police said the shooter, in his early twenties, fired dozens of rounds through church windows and was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol before dying by suicide. The school was evacuated and families were directed to a reunification zone. The FBI is investigating the incident as domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics. Officials, including the governor and president, were briefed.
The city's mayor said children had died in the shooting with Minneapolis police saying three people had perished, among them the shooter. The children were holding prayer when the shooting occurredImage: Richard Tsong-Taatarii/Star Tribune/AP Photo/picture alliance Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told the media that the shooter, in his early twenties, fired bullets into the Annunciation Church as dozens of students were at Mass.
"Two young children, ages eight and 10, were killed where they sat in the pews," O'Hara said, adding that 17 others were wounded, among them 14 children. He said the remaining victims were expected to survive. O'Hara said the shooter was armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol and died by suicide. The police chief added that the gunman approached the side of the church and shot dozens of rounds through the windows toward the children
FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the shooting "as an act of domestic terrorism and hate crime targeting Catholics." 'Horrific act of violence,' says Governor Walz Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said he had been briefed on the shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School "and will continue to provide updates as we get more information." "I'm praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence," Walz said.
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