By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
A tragic mass shooting unfolded on Wednesday inside Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, leaving two children dead and 17 others wounded during a school Mass.
Authorities say the attack happened as dozens of children gathered with their teachers to mark the first week of the new school year. Police identified the gunman as a man in his early twenties who entered the church armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. After unleashing gunfire on the congregation, he took his own life in the parking lot.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara described the incident as “an act of sheer cruelty,” confirming that two children, aged eight and ten, were killed instantly in the pews. Fourteen of the injured were children, and at least two victims remain in critical condition.
Live footage showed panicked parents rushing to the scene, desperately searching for their children as emergency teams responded. Witnesses recounted scenes of chaos, with children screaming and hiding under benches as shots rang out.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the attack, calling it a “horrific act of violence that shattered what should have been a joyful week of learning and worship.” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed the outrage, stressing that children “should never fear for their lives in school or in church.”
From the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV said he was “profoundly saddened” by the news and prayed for healing for the wounded and strength for grieving families. “Our hearts go out especially to parents who now mourn the loss of their young children,” the pontiff’s statement read.
The tragedy has once again reignited debate over gun violence in the United States. With firearms outnumbering the population and political gridlock preventing significant reform, mass shootings in schools and places of worship remain a persistent threat.
“This is not just another headline,” Mayor Frey warned. “These children were praying, on the first week of school, in what should have been the safest place. We cannot accept this as normal.”
The FBI has joined local police in investigating the attack, though authorities confirmed there is no further threat to the public.
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