Gunfire erupted Wednesday morning inside Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two students and injuring 17.
Police confirmed the shooter carried a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol before taking his own life.
Minneapolis officials declared the attacker contained and announced no continuing threat to residents.
Police and Leaders Condemn Violence
Police chief Brian O’Hara condemned the “cruelty and cowardice” of the shooting during the school’s morning mass.
He said the gunman fired through church windows before fatally striking children aged eight and ten.
Governor Tim Walz called the event “horrific” and expressed sympathy for students and teachers.
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that he had been briefed and would continue monitoring.
Hospitals Treat Wounded Children
Children’s Minnesota trauma hospital admitted five young patients for urgent care.
Hennepin Healthcare also confirmed treating additional victims from the shooting.
Families rushed to a designated reunification zone as emergency crews evacuated the school.
Community Faces Series of Shootings
The shooting occurred on the school’s first day of term, during a morning mass.
The school, established in 1923, had recently celebrated students with summer projects and back-to-school events.
The tragedy followed three other deadly shootings in Minneapolis within 24 hours.
Earlier incidents included an attack outside a high school and two more shootings later that evening.
Hoax Calls Add to Fear Nationwide
The Minneapolis tragedy came after hoax calls targeted at least a dozen U.S. colleges.
The fake warnings, sometimes with gunshot sounds, forced schools to issue “run, hide, fight” alerts.
Students across the nation started the school year amid fear of both real and false threats.
