US: Gunman kills three children, injures 17 at Minneapolis church

MINNEAPOLIS: A gunman opened fire at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Wednesday, killing three children and injuring 17 others, police said.

The shooting occurred during a Mass attended by school students marking their first week back to classes.

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Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters the shooter, a man in his early 20s, used multiple weapons including a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. After the attack, he took his own life in the church parking lot.

Two children aged eight and ten were killed as they sat in the pews. Among the injured were 14 children, with two reported in critical condition, the chief added.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed sorrow on social media, saying, “Praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”

Video footage showed panicked parents rushing to retrieve their children as emergency services responded to the scene.

Police Chief O’Hara condemned the attack as a deliberate act of violence against innocent worshippers. “The cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is incomprehensible,” he said. “Our hearts are broken for the families and the community traumatized by this senseless act.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged the public not to offer mere thoughts and prayers. “These kids were literally praying,” Frey said. “They should be learning, playing, and worshipping in peace without fear.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “tragic shooting” and confirmed FBI response. “The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved,” he posted on Truth Social.

This tragic shooting is the latest incident in a nation frequently plagued by gun violence. It follows a wave of false reports of shooters on U.S. campuses as students return to school nationwide.