A shooting at a Catholic school in the south end of Minneapolis on Wednesday has left three people dead and 20 injured, according to a U.S. Justice Department official. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also confirmed that the shooter was among those killed.
The shooting took place just two days after the start of the school year at Annunciation Catholic School, a private elementary school with approximately 395 students. The school is connected to Annunciation Catholic Church and is located in a residential neighborhood in the southeast of Minnesota’s largest city.
Police from the nearby suburb of Richfield reported that a man dressed in all black and carrying a rifle was seen at the scene. Local media reported that students were attending morning mass when the shooting began. Local television showed parents ducking under yellow police crime tape to lead students out of the school. The students were wearing green polo shirts and blue shorts and skirts.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz posted on X that he had been briefed on the shooting and would continue to provide updates. “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence,” Walz said, without providing details on the potential victims.
U.S. President Donald Trump later stated that he had been briefed on the incident and that the FBI was on the scene. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he said on social media.
The Department of Homeland Security is in contact with local authorities and is monitoring the situation, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on social media. According to police, there have been three other shootings in the midwestern city since Tuesday afternoon, which have collectively resulted in three deaths and seven injuries.
