Minneapolis: A morning Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis turned into a scene of horror on Wednesday when a gunman opened fire, killing three people including himself and injuring at least 20 others. Federal officials confirmed the death toll, while Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the violence as “horrific” and extended prayers for the children and teachers whose first week of school was shattered by tragedy.
The shooting erupted just after 8:15 a.m., when the school community had gathered for its all-school Mass. Local media reported that children were inside the church when gunfire broke out, sending panic across the campus. The private elementary school, which serves around 395 students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade, is closely tied to Annunciation Catholic Church in a quiet residential neighborhood in southeast Minneapolis.
Emergency sirens quickly filled the area as Minneapolis police, FBI agents, and federal response teams rushed to the scene. Ambulances lined the streets as terrified students were evacuated to safety. A school staff member answering the phone confirmed evacuations were underway, though further details were not released immediately.
Governor Walz, speaking via social media, wrote: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.” President Donald Trump also issued a message on Truth Social, calling the incident a “tragic shooting” and stating that the White House was monitoring developments closely.
The attack comes just two days after the start of the academic year. Social media posts from Monday, the school’s opening day, had shown smiling children in green uniforms greeting each other at bicycle racks and classrooms filled with anticipation for the year ahead. The century-old institution, founded in 1923, had marked the return of students with its traditional all-school liturgy an event now forever marked by violence.
This latest tragedy unfolded against a backdrop of escalating gun violence in Minneapolis. In less than 24 hours prior to the school shooting, the city witnessed multiple attacks, including one near a local high school that left one dead and six injured, followed by two additional shootings claiming two more lives.
As investigations continue, the community of Annunciation Catholic School and Church now finds itself at the heart of Minnesota’s grief, struggling to make sense of a massacre that struck at its youngest and most vulnerable.