Minnesota School Shooting Suspect Identified as Man in 20s Who Killed 2 Children and Injured 17
The Minnesota school shooting at a Minneapolis church left two children dead and at least 17 others hurt before the gunman turned the weapon on himself.
Minnesota School Shooting Suspect Kills 2 Children Before Suicide
MINNEAPOLIS (TNND) — A deadly Minnesota school shooting shocked the community Wednesday morning after a man in his early 20s opened fire inside Annunciation Roman Catholic Church in Minneapolis during a mass connected to the first week of school.
Police confirmed that two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed as they sat in church pews. At least 17 others, including multiple children and adults, were injured in the gunfire.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the suspect was heavily armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. After firing dozens of rounds into the church, the gunman fatally shot himself in the back of the building.
“The coward who fired these shots ultimately took his own life,” O’Hara told reporters.
Hospitals Treating Victims of the Minnesota School Shooting
Children’s Minnesota, a pediatric trauma hospital, confirmed it admitted five children injured in the Minnesota school shooting. Hennepin Healthcare, which runs the state’s largest emergency department, said it also was treating multiple victims.
Eyewitness Accounts
Residents near the church said the gunfire lasted several minutes. Bill Bienemann, a longtime parishioner, reported hearing as many as 50 shots.
“I was shocked. There was so much of it. It was sporadic,” he said.
Law Enforcement and Political Reaction
Police across the Twin Cities stepped up patrols following the school shooting in Minnesota, with Richfield Police adding officers to support Minneapolis.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the attack “a horrific act of violence against children and innocent people” and urged prayers for families as schools reopen.
Former President Donald Trump also issued a statement, confirming that the FBI was on scene and promising federal monitoring of the situation.
Community in Shock
The Minnesota school shooting has left the community reeling at the start of a new academic year. While investigators continue to search for a motive, officials emphasized that this was a “deliberate act of violence”.
