Gunfire erupted Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis during a church service.
The shooter carried a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, police confirmed.
Authorities said he fired rounds through the church windows as students attended morning mass.
Police later confirmed the shooter killed himself, leaving no ongoing danger to residents.
Children Among Victims of Tragic Attack
Police chief Brian O’Hara condemned the “cruelty and cowardice” of the attack during a press conference.
Officers said the gunfire killed two students, ages eight and ten, and injured 17 others.
Children’s Minnesota hospital admitted five young victims for trauma care.
Hennepin Healthcare reported it treated additional patients from the shooting.
Governor Tim Walz called the act “horrific” and offered prayers for children and teachers.
Federal Response and Community Shock
Police, FBI agents, and ambulances quickly surrounded the school as chaos unfolded.
President Donald Trump confirmed he received a briefing and said the White House would monitor developments.
Authorities evacuated the school and directed families to a reunification zone.
Founded in 1923, the school serves pre-kindergarten through early teens and held mass on its first term day.
Recent posts from the school showed children celebrating back-to-school events and sharing summer projects.
Violence Escalates Across Minneapolis
The school attack followed multiple shootings in the city within 24 hours.
On Tuesday, gunfire outside a Minneapolis high school killed one person and injured six more.
Hours later, two more people died in separate shootings across the city.
The school tragedy also came after hoax shooting calls targeted over a dozen U.S. college campuses.
False alarms, sometimes paired with fake gunshot sounds, forced universities to send emergency warnings.
The threats frightened students nationwide as the academic year began.
