Minneapolis shooting: 2 children dead, 17 victims injured in Minnesota Catholic school attack

Dr. Thomas Wyatt spoke to reporters outside Hennepin Healthcare and described how the events unfolded once he was notified by page of a “mass casualty situation.” Wyatt said seven patients were brought to the hospital in critical condition and four required the operating room. Nine of the 11 patients were children aged six to 14 years old.

Doctor describes treating victims of Minnesota school shooting

05:44

The archbishop of Chicago called on the government to do more to protect the safety of the public from what he called the "curse of gun violence" — and said such violence is a threat to rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

“The facts are clear. Guns are plentiful and common sense attempts to limit their availability have been largely rejected in the name of a freedom not found in our constitution,” Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said in a statement after the shooting in Minneapolis.

“Cutbacks in funding for health care and social service programs will only exacerbate a national mental health crisis and increase alienation,” he wrote. “We therefore pray for those who hold the power to make the safety of our people a national priority.”

The family of a Minnesota lawmaker who was gunned down alongside her husband said tonight that the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School should spur action on high-powered weapons.

State Rep. Melissa Hortman and husband Mark were shot dead in June in what officials have said was a “politically motivated assassination.“

"No one should have to suffer the loss of a loved one to gun violence," the Hortman family said in a statement.

The statement said the Hortmans believed people should be safe in their schools, places of worship and homes.

“Mark and Melissa believed that children should be able to gather in schools safely, that communities should be able to worship in peace, and that families should be safe in their homes," the family said.

"We hope this tragedy spurs elected officials to take action towards common-sense measures on access to high-powered weapons so that no one else must suffer," the family said, referring to today's shooting.

In Lynnhurst Park in Southwest Minneapolis, well over a thousand people and children stood with lit candles at a Moms Demand Action vigil after another day in the United States in which a gunman opened fire at a public place.

This time it was a shooter who killed two children and wounded others after opening fire on a church service at Annunciation Catholic School.

Dick Ghizoni was walking his dog earlier today, and when he returned home his daughter told him there had been a mass shooting at Annunciation.

“I couldn’t believe her words, and when I heard it, my stomach turned — big time,” Ghizoni said outside the vigil. “My brothers and sisters and I went there, kindergarten through eighth grade. My parents were pillars of the community in the church.”

“It’s just horrible,” he said.

04:55

State Rep. Emma Greenman, whose district includes the site of the shooting at Annunciation Church, said her community is trying to wrap “support and courage” around the victims and their families.

Greenman said there is “so much more work to do” when it comes to combating gun violence across the country, adding, “We know that this is not a Minnesota issue; this is a national issue.”

"We have just now become a part of that heartbreaking and tragic community of communities that have suffered this real, horrific pain,” Greenman said.

She said society cannot become numb to violence like today's shooting, and she urged people to “turn to both their neighbors and every level of government and say we can and will do better by our kids.”

01:10

Academy of Holy Angels High School in Richfield is around 5 minutes down the road from Annunciation Catholic Church and School, and the two are closely linked.

And as news of the shooting spread at Holy Angels, where, junior Elizabeth Payne said, about half of all students went to Annunciation, it was even closer.

“And I just saw — like, the people in my class had siblings at Annunciation. And just the look of pure terror on their face,” Payne, 17, said after she attended a vigil at Holy Angels tonight.

“You see this all over the nation, but it’s never really happened this close,” she said.

First lady Melania Trump tonight called for "pre-emptive intervention" to identify "potential school shooters," saying there are often early warning signs.

"Early warning signs are often evident, with many individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors and making violent threats online prior to their actions," Trump wrote on X, adding that taking notice of those signs "and acting quickly can save lives and make American communities safer."

"To prevent future tragedies, it is crucial we look into behavioral threat assessments across all levels of society—beginning in our homes, extending through school districts and of course, social media platforms," she said.

06:52

Vincent Francoual said his 11-year-old daughter, Chloe, was in the church when shots rang out this morning, describing the moment as “complete chaos.”

Francoual said that when he got the call that there had been a shooting at her school, he rushed to the scene to be with his daughter.

“It was very emotional. She saw me first, and she just cried,” he said.

Francoual said that Chloe is “not really talking much” about the traumatic events in the chapel and that she feels “guilty” that she couldn’t help more of her classmates.

"She thought she was going to die today," an emotional Francoual said.

The archbishop of Saint Paul and Minneapolis delivered a message of hope after today’s mass shooting.

Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matt DeBoer said that the school planned this year’s theme to be Jeremiah 29, focusing on hope, and that “there’s nothing about today that can fill us with hope.”

Archbishop Bernard Hebda then spoke and referred to that sense of grief and loss in Minnesota and the country.

“I would never want to correct a principal, but Principal DeBoer said it wasn’t so clear where would be the source of hope. And brothers and sisters, we have to be men and women of hope,” Hebda said.

Hebda said that he has been receiving messages from all over the country promising prayers and that “I think it’s the prayers of the feet, as well.”

“That is, for me, is a source of hope, just as we see families stepping forward to help those who have been impacted by this terrible tragedy,” he said.

Witness Pat Scallen detailed the moment he heard gunshots and went running to help at the Catholic school. Scallen said he stayed with three kids and held the hand of one student who was shot until medics and police arrived.

Shooting witness details running to scene, holding hand of bleeding student until EMT arrived 

03:31

A YouTube page belonging to Westman, which authorities have said has been taken down, includes video of the suspect flipping through the pages of a journal. 

In excerpts from the journal, written using the Russian Cyrillic alphabet for English words, the suspect described her fascination with violence and obsession with mass shootings, particularly those that attacked schools. The suspect also discussed suicide, depression, their own racism and the particulars of carrying out a mass shooting.

Authorities are working to determine a motive and are reviewing the suspect’s writings and videos.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988, or go to 988lifeline.org, to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources.

Gov. Tim Walz ordered flags be flown at half-staff at all state buildings indefinitely in honor of the victims of today’s mass shooting.

Walz in a proclamation called the shooting a senseless act of violence that “brought devastation to a place that should be a safe place for children to learn, grow, and pray.”

Trump ordered flags flown at half-staff federally.

The suspect in today’s attack bought the three guns they were armed with legally, Minneapolis Police Chief Brain O’Hara said.

“I can tell you they were purchased recently,” O’Hara said at a news conference.

The weapons were a rifle, a pistol and a shotgun, O’Hara said.

Searches were being conducted at three residences in the Minneapolis metropolitan area related to the shooter, he said.

“Additional firearms are being recovered from those three residential locations as we speak,” O’Hara said.

04:48

Thirteen-year-old Javen Willis says he told classmates to “get down and go under the pew” when he heard gunshots during Mass this morning.

“We had just sat back down after the Psalms were read, and we were just waiting, and all I hear is pow, pow, pow," said Javen, an eighth grader at Annunciation Catholic School.

Javen said he saw a still body on the floor, adding that he was waiting to hear from a friend who was shot.

“I’m just waiting for the time for me and him to have another close, personal conversation," Javen said.

Javen said he was happy to be reunited with his family but also "sad that some of these kids don’t get to reunite with their family. And I was one of the lucky ones.”

Westman’s mother appears to have previously worked at the Church of Annunciation.

The church had shared a Facebook post celebrating her retirement in August 2021. That post was deleted today in the wake of the shooting.

It’s not clear what her role was.

Westman wrote numerous things on their weapons and magazines, including "Kill Donald Trump," video posted today just before the shooting shows.

Also written on the weapons and magazines were antisemitic writings and references to the Holocaust, other mass shooters and the Catholic Church.

Jan Unstad described driving by Annunciation Catholic School and seeing the police response to the deadly incident. Unstad got emotional as she described the inscription over the church, which she said reads, “This is the house of God and the gates of Heaven.” 

Witness holds back tears describing Minneapolis shooting scene, seeing students on stretchers

02:25

In statements released on social media, former presidents Joe Biden, Barack Obama and Bill Clinton expressed their grief and sadness after today’s mass shooting in Minneapolis.

Biden, whose son Beau died in 2015 at age 46, said: “No parent should ever have to bury their child.”

“Jill and I are heartbroken and there are simply no words to adequately mark such a horrific and painful moment,” Biden said. “With all our hearts, we are praying for the victims, their families, and the community of Minneapolis.”

Obama, who was president when a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012, said people cannot allow themselves "to become numb to mass shootings."

“What happened today in Minneapolis is heartbreaking, and Michelle and I are praying for the parents who have lost a child or will be sitting at their hospital bedside after yet another act of unspeakable, unnecessary violence,” he said.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey demanded leaders take action in the wake of another devastating mass school shooting, saying thoughts and prayers are not enough.

“The kids impacted were literally praying at the time of this tragic and horrible shooting,” Frey told NBC News’ Tom Llamas this evening. “It’s on public servants and leaders to not just have words but also have actions that are attached to those words.”

He said he's heartbroken and angry.

“These are sacred places. But these are not the only sacred places. Schools are sacred. Classrooms are sacred. You should be able to send your kid off to enjoy their day without the concern of them having this severe safety risk,” he said.

He warned against hate overtaking the public conversation about the tragedy.

“This is not a moment for hate. This is not a moment for attacks. This is a moment to act, to do something to protect our children, because we love them,” Frey said.

Children’s Minnesota said four patients who were admitted to its Minneapolis hospital after today’s mass shooting have been discharged.

Three children remain at the facility, the hospital said this afternoon. Seven children in all had been admitted there, ages 9 to 16.

“Our thoughts are with all the victims, their families and loved ones in our communities who are impacted by yet another senseless act of violence,” the hospital system said.

Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, offered love and support to the Annunciation Catholic School and church community.

The Hoffmans were among those targeted in shootings in June that authorities described as "targeted political assassinations." State Rep. Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park and her husband, Mark, were killed in the June shootings.

In a family statement, the Hoffmans said they understand firsthand the impact of "these mindless acts of violence and senseless attacks." They added that they are holding the families affected by today's school shooting in their hearts.

"The evil actions of an individual can impact the lives of so many, the victims and our community," the statement said.

NBC News’ Joe Fryer, who worked in Minneapolis and has family in the area, reports on the people of the parish and the deep roots the Annunciation Catholic School and church have in the Minneapolis community. 

NBC News anchor speaks about his family ties to Annunciation and Minneapolis

02:10

“Minnesotans will not step away,” Gov. Tim Walz told reporters after the shooting. "We'll stand with this community." 

03:42

The shooter had worked up a "manifesto" in hope of publicizing the shooting, officials said.

"We are also aware of a manifesto that the shooter had timed to be released on YouTube," Minneapolis Police Chief Brain O’Hara told reporters.

The manifesto appeared to show the shooter "at the scene and included some disturbing writings, [and] that content has since been taken down with the assistance of the FBI," O'Hara added.

Minneapolis shooter had 'manifesto' timed to post on YouTube, officials say

01:45

Three parishioners in their 80s were among the 17 injured in today's shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara told reporters this afternoon.

O’Hara said the three were attending Mass at the time of the shooting. The 14 other people wounded were children ranging ages 6 to 15.

All of the wounded are expected to survive.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey defended the trans community, saying those who direct hate toward trans people have "lost their sense of common humanity."

"I have heard about a whole lot of hate that’s being directed at our trans community," Frey told reporters. "Anybody who is using this ... as an opportunity to villainize our trans community, or any other community out there, has lost their sense of common humanity. "

'Nothing short of heroic': Mayor thanks teachers for actions during shooting

03:44

The shooter has been identified as Robin Westman, 23. FBI Director Kash Patel identified them as a male. Documents requesting a name change for Westman say they identified as a female.

The Church of Annunciation says its students and staff are navigating an "impossible situation" after the shooting.

In its first statement since the shooting, the church commended law enforcement and its staff for acting quickly to protect students. Staff members moved students under pews "within seconds" of the gunfire's breaking out.

"Tragically, we lost two of our beloved students before the scene was secured," the church said.

Some of the wounded have been treated and released, it said. The statement went asked that others "lift up these families and these children in prayer."

"In this time of darkness, let us commit to being the Light to our children, each other and our community," it said. "We will rebuild our future filled with hope — together."

Law enforcement officers visited the suspects home this morning and soon the parents were seen on the sidewalk of this quiet residential street, shoeless, speaking to them, said Stacey Czeck, who lives two doors down from the suspect’s family.

Czeck said the suspect’s father and a woman spoke with law enforcement for at least an hour. At one point, she could see the father sit down on the sidewalk and lower his head into his hands.

“He was demonstrably upset,” Czeck said. The woman, who also appeared upset, put her hand on the father’s head, she said.

The Minneapolis house of the suspect.  Natasha Korecki / NBC News

She described the family as friendly, with the woman always riding a bike with a basket on it and waving hello. She described them as “family-oriented,” because she heard them on their back porch often. She saw the suspect from time to time but did not have interactions with them.

“In these situations, I think your mind always obviously — obviously — goes to the victims and the victims' families. But you know, for me, seeing that, my heart is also going out to them. They just lost their son.”

The Annunciation Catholic School shooting will be investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics, FBI Director Kash Patel said.

Law enforcement officers talk to a resident trying to access the area near the shooting today. Stephen Maturen / Getty Images

Gov. Tim Walz is ordering all of the U.S. and Minnesota flags at state facilities to fly at half-staff to honor the victims of the Annunciation Catholic School shooting.

Private citizens and businesses are also encouraged to lower their flags, according to a release from Walz's office.

“Minnesota is heartbroken by the senseless shooting that took place this morning,” Walz said. “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”

Mayor Jacob Frey and local law enforcement officials are expected to deliver an update at 3:30 p.m. EDT, Minneapolis officials said.

Gov. Tim Walz might also be at the news conference, but that's still to be determined.

Pat Scallen, who lives half a block from the shooting site, told NBC News he ran to the school after hearing gunshots.

After he and his wife heard the noise, they thought it might be construction. As the sound continued, they started to think differently. "My wife said, 'Those have got to be shots, and they sound like they're coming from the school,'" Scallen recalled.

Scallen dropped everything and ran to the school to help. "It was eerily quiet when I got there. I did see a rifle magazine on the ground," Scallen told NBC News.

Children then started coming out and he saw three injured children. He stayed with them, one boy and two girls who were shot, until EMTs came. "I didn't want to leave those kids alone," Scallen said.

Archbishop Bernard Hebda of Minneapolis was sent a telegram today from the Holy See that passed along Pope Leo XIV's condolences following the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School.

The telegram was written on behalf of the pontiff by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, according to the Vatican. Parolin wrote that Leo sent "his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child." 

Minneapolis archbishop reads message from Pope Leo following church shooting

01:51

He also prays for those wounded, the first responders and all of those caring for them, the Vatican said.

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., called the deadly Minneapolis shooting an “unspeakable horror” and said her heart breaks for the families and the victims. At least two children are dead and 17 people are injured after a shooter opened fire at the Annunciation Catholic School's church, where Mass was being celebrated. 

'Unspeakable horror’: Rep. Omar decries Minneapolis church shooting

02:22

President Donald Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff in tribute to the victims of the "senseless acts of violence perpetrated" in Minneapolis.

This will be in effect until sunset on Sunday.

Trump orders flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor Minneapolis shooting victims

01:26

A U.S. flag flies at half-staff today at the White House. Mandel Ngan / AFP - Getty Images

Ellie Mertens, a youth pastor at Annunciation Catholic School, was sitting in a pew next to a window when the shooter was outside and began opening fire.

"It was an automatic gun and I was near kids and we all got down," Mertens told NBC News. "And it lasted two minutes, and we were able to evacuate."

She credits the fact that she was sitting at the pew for saving her life.

The Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Twins, the local professional football and baseball teams, released statements expressing heartbreak following this morning's shooting.

"The taking of innocent lives in a place of learning and worship is incomprehensible," the Twins' statement said.

The Vikings shared similar sentiments in a statement on X, writing that the team was "devastated" by this "senseless and cowardly act."

"We are praying for the injured, those who witnessed the attack, and the first responders who were on the scene providing care and support during this tragedy," the NFL team said.

Seven children, between ages 9 and 16, were rushed to Children’s Minnesota Hospital. One of those young patients has been discharged.

"Our thoughts are with all the victims, their families, and loved ones in our communities who are impacted by yet another senseless act of violence," a hospital statement said.

Weston Halsne, a fifth grade student at Annunciation Catholic School, says his friend Victor was shot while lying on top of him during the shooting at their morning Mass.

Weston told NBC affiliate KARE that he ran under a pew while shots came through the stained glass windows and covered his head, an active shooting tactic that the school practiced on a regular basis. But Weston added that they had never practiced an active shooter drill in the church.

10-year-old says friend was shot laying on top of him

01:35

"My friend Victor, like saved me, though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit," the 10-year-old boy said.

Victor was taken to the hospital, but Weston believes that "he's OK" hours after the shooting. Weston described his friend as "really brave" and hopes that all the injured people who were taken to the hospital are OK.

Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action, said the Minnesota shooting was particularly poignant in light of schools coming back into session all over America.

“As a mom who just sent my little ones back to school and as a woman of faith, I am devastated that yet again children are dead and more are fighting for their lives after being gunned down at school and in a church,” Ferrell-Zabala said in a statement.

“How many more of our babies have to die before Congress finally gets these weapons of war off our streets?”

The suspect in today's shooting has been identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, multiple senior law enforcement officials briefed on the matter told NBC News.

Police have said publicly that the suspect is in their early 20s with a limited criminal history.

Court documents show Westman filed to change their name in 2019.

NBC News has confirmed with those law enforcement officials that the suspect left behind videos posted online with writings that reference suicide, "extremely violent thoughts and ideas," an apology to their family, and a handwritten sketch of the interior layout of a church. It's unclear whether that church was the one at Annunciation Catholic School.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or chat live at 988lifeline.org. You can also visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional support.

Minneapolis church shooting suspect identified as Robin Westman

00:55

One of the wounded children was taken to M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital and is in stable condition, the hospital said in a statement.

"All of us at Fairview Health Services are heartbroken by the tragic shooting in Minneapolis this morning," the Fairview statement said. "Our thoughts are with the children, families, educators, and community members impacted by this senseless violence."

Brianna Lane, a former Annunciation Catholic School student, described seeing police cars and emergency vehicles pass by on their way to work.

“We knew it was bad when we saw the second cop car flying through,” Lane told NBC News.

Lane, a former student and parishioner at Annunciation, said that the shooting "hits differently when it’s your own community."

"This being the first Wednesday, you know, I thought all the kids are probably at Mass," Lane said. "And they were” 

Gov. Tim Walz said his state is "heartbroken" and urged them all to embrace their children.

"From the officers responding, to the clergy and teachers providing comfort, to the hospital staff saving lives, we will get through this together," Walz wrote in a post on X. "Hug your kids close."

Andrew Winchell was on his porch preparing to drive his wife to work when he heard a series of piercingly loud noises that lasted for what felt like a full two minutes.

"It was this incredibly loud and repeated 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,' then a pause, then another 'pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop, pop.' It just kept going and going," said Winchell, a 42-year-old construction worker and stay-at-home dad.

Winchell, who lives about a block away from Annunciation, thought the "pop" noises were too loud to be coming from something like a roofing gun. When he eventually learned that there had been a shooting at Annunciation, he was deeply disturbed.

"I can see the bell tower of the church from my house right now," Winchell said in a phone interview. "It was all happening right there."

Madee Brandt, a nanny who works near the shooting scene, pulled into the neighborhood just as police arrived and children fled.

"I was thankful to see kids coming out unharmed, safe, but just [seeing] the looks on some of their faces ... just the screams coming from the moms who didn't know where their kids are," Brandt told reporters.

'Heartbreaking' scenes at Minneapolis shooting

00:54

"You see videos online, but it does not compare to seeing it and witnessing it in person. That was rough."

Brandt's car is still within the locked-down zone, prompting her mother to come and get her, bringing their dog to the scene for comfort.

"It is terrifying," the nanny said while petting the dog.

Today's tragedy marked the fifth school shooting of 2025, according to a school shooting tracker by NBC News.

The other shootings occurred at Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology in Inglewood, California, on May 2; Florida State University in Tallahassee on April 17; Pasadena Memorial High School in Texas on Feb. 1; and Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee, on Jan. 22.

Priest came to Annunciation Church to comfort families after shooting

02:25

Father Erich Rutten, a Roman Catholic priest whose parish is near Annunciation, went inside the school this morning to offer support to families trying to make sense of the tragedy.

Rutten told NBC News he saw parents in "great, great anxiety and grief." He saw parents who were "wailing and crying, some stooping to the ground," he said.

He hugged the people he recognized from the community. Then he began to pray the rosary, and others joined in.

"We're asking God to help in this situation," Rutten said.

Natasha Korecki reported from Minneapolis, Daniel Arkin from New York.

The Rev. Bob Hart, a former interim pastor at Annunciation who left in June after one year, said the deadly violence at the school was "unbelievable" to him.

"It's hard to believe this could happen at a Catholic Mass," Hart told NBC News. "I'm devastated that this happened at a place I just left two months ago."

Hart, 77, described Annunciation as a "very close-knit and very supportive" community where everyone is made to feel welcome.

He did not know the identities of the victims, he said. However, he expects to recognize many names if the authorities make that information public.

Hennepin Healthcare said it is treating eight pediatric patients and two adults. The hospital initially said at a morning news conference that it had nine pediatric patients.

Six children and one adult are in critical condition, the hospital said in a news release. Two other pediatric patients and an adult have non-life-threatening injuries.

Dr. Thomas Wyatt, chair of emergency medicine, told reporters that four patients "required the operating room."

The pediatric patients ranged in age from 6 to 14, he said.

The hospital said that none of the patients has been discharged and there have been no fatalities.

Doctor describes treating victims of Minnesota school shooting

05:44

Chief Brian O'Hara debunked rumors that an improvised explosive device was found at the school after the shooting.

He did, however, add that something that one might call a smoke bomb was found. O'Hara clarified that it wasn't an explosive, but rather "a sort of firework."

Just before 8:30 a.m. local time, authorities say an unidentified shooter approached the side of the church where the Annunciation Catholic School was hosting its morning Mass.

The side of the building where the shooter approached had two doors, where it appears 2-by-4 wood planks were placed to barricade the doors from the outside, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.

The shooter began firing a rifle through the church windows from the side of the building toward the children who were sitting in the pews, he said.

Dozens of children were inside during the Mass at the time. First responders from the police department entered the church to provide first aid and rescue children who were hiding throughout the building, according to O’Hara.

The suspect, a man in his 20s, is believed to have died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the parking lot.

Investigators are still processing the scene, but O’Hara said the number of rounds fired appears to be "in the dozens."

Minneapolis police chief gives timeline of Annunciation Church shooting

03:10

Police believe the suspect was a lone shooter in his 20s who died of a self-inflicted gunshot in the parking lot.

What’s known so far about suspect in Minneapolis church mass shooting

02:15

The suspect was not identified.

Authorities are still investigating a possible motive, Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters. O'Hara added that it is not yet known whether the suspect legally obtained the firearms or whether they had any extensive criminal history.

Community members embrace at the school today. Alex Kormann / Star Tribune via AP

The father of two children who attend Annunciation was sitting at work when he got a text message from his wife. She said there was a shooting at the school, and only one of his sons had been located.

"I immediately left work," Tyler, the father, told NBC News outside the school. "I was a nervous wreck. I was just shocked and in disbelief that this was happening at Annunciation. I couldn't get here quick enough."

Tyler was ultimately reunited with both of his boys.

Two children are dead and 17 people are injured, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara.

"During the Mass, a gunman approached on the outside, on the side of the building, and began firing a rifle through the church windows towards the children sitting in the pews at the Mass," the chief said.

The children were ages 8 and 10. Two other children are in critical condition.

O’Hara said that 14 of the injured were children.

The shooter was armed with a shotgun, a rifle and a pistol, O'Hara said. He described it as an "incomprehensible" act of cowardice.

A mom hugs her son outside the church today. Richard Tsong-Taatarii / Star Tribune via AP

Children were killed today after a shooting at the Annunciation Catholic School morning Mass, Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed to reporters.

He did not specify the number of victims, but he said that "children are dead."

"You cannot put into words the gravity, tragedy or absolute pain of this moment," Frey said.

‘These kids were literally praying’: Minneapolis mayor reacts to shooting at Catholic church

02:34

A White House official told NBC News that President Donald Trump spoke to Gov. Tim Walz following today’s shooting.

Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were some of the very first responders to the scene because they just happened to be in the area of the shooting, according to an ATF source in Minneapolis.

The bureau has at least one firearm in its possession from the shooter, and they are beginning the tracing protocol, the source added.

Mike Garrity was walking home from the gym this morning when he heard a series of loud noises that he initially thought were coming from a nail gun at a construction site.

When he got closer to the church, he realized something terrible had happened.

Garrity, 64, who lives across the street from Annunciation, saw about a dozen crying children stream out of the school. At least three of them were covered in blood, he said.

He also saw adults who appeared to be members of the faculty or staff. "Don't go in there," one of them said.

Minneapolis police soon arrived at the scene, and officers darted inside the school, Garrity said.

Police outside the church today. Tim Evans / Reuters

Six children are being treated at Children’s Minnesota, a hospital spokesperson said, declining to release further details.

"Children’s Minnesota is aware of the recent tragic shooting in Minneapolis. Our teams are trained to respond in times of crisis, and are fully prepared to care for impacted children," the hospital said in a statement. "We will not share more details to respect the privacy of our patients and families."

Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., told MSNBC that she had spoken to one of her longtime employees who had three children in the school during the shooting.

The senator described the call with the mother as "one of the most upsetting things I've ever heard." The woman's daughter, who is in the seventh grade, watched her friends be shot.

"These kids are doing an all-school Mass and had to watch several of her friends get shot — one in the back, one in the neck," Klobuchar said."And they all got down under the pews and she — her daughter, of course, was not shot — but her daughter ended up being the one to tell one of the dads of one of the other kids that his daughter had been shot."

Klobuchar added that the children have been taken to a "very good" children's hospital nearby and to other area hospitals for treatment. She did not have exact numbers.

The scene is emotional at the school, with parents in tears as they rush out of the campus carrying children on their shoulders, holding them by the hands, and pulling them away as quickly as possible.

Parents were told they could be reunited with their children in the school's basement, said Erin, a mother who only gave her first name.

Shooter is ‘contained’ after attack at Minneapolis church and school

03:06

The suspect in the Minneapolis shooting died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to three law enforcement officials familiar with the investigation.

Parents wait for news about their children after a shooting at Annunciation Church today in Minneapolis.

A Minneapolis City Council meeting has been canceled, according to its public schedule.

The meeting was scheduled for 1 p.m. to address a possible litigation matter, but it has been called off.

The school is in southwest Minneapolis.

Mayor Jacob Frey's office will hold a news conference at 11:30 a.m. ET, according to a spokesperson.

There was an "All-School Mass" scheduled for 8:15 a.m. local time this morning, according to the calendar on the Annunciation Church and school’s website.

According to the website, this service takes place each Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning.

St. Thomas More Catholic School in Minneapolis said it is keeping students and staff inside "pending further details about this developing situation."

"Our hearts and prayers are with the students, teachers, and community at Annunciation Catholic School in South Minneapolis," the school said in a Facebook post.

St. Thomas More Catholic School is about 12 miles from Annunciation Catholic School.

President Donald Trump said he has been "fully briefed on the tragic shooting" in Minneapolis.

"The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, his social media platform. "The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!"

Vice President JD Vance said on X: "We’re at the WH monitoring the situation in Minneapolis. Join all of us in praying for the victims!"

The Department of Homeland Security said it is also monitoring the shooting.

"We are in communication with our interagency partners, and will share more information as soon as it becomes available," Secretary Kristi Noem said in a post on X. "I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families."

Before today's school shooting, there were three deadly shootings in Minneapolis in 12 hours, according to the Minneapolis Police Department.

"The level of gun violence across the city within the last day is deeply unsettling," the Minneapolis Police Department said in a news release. "Across three separate multiple-victim shootings, eight people have been injured by gunfire and three have lost their lives."

The attack at Annunciation Church would be the fourth deadly shooting in Minneapolis in less than 24 hours. In the most recent shooting, one man was killed and another injured at 2:08 a.m. in downtown Minneapolis.

Blood from a shooting victim dots the sidewalk on Clinton Avenue South yesterday in Minneapolis. Jeff Wheeler / TNS via Zuma / Shutterstock

Annunciation Catholic School was founded in 1923 as a place for students to learn about "Christian values and civic-mindedness," according to a cached version of the school's website.

“You’ll find teachers, parents, staff and students who truly value education and faith-based learning, and you’ll see those values in action in each of our classrooms,” the school says on its website.

The school serves students from preschool through eighth grade. The first day of the school year was Monday, according to a Facebook post.

The city of Minneapolis posted on X just before 10:30 a.m. ET that the shooter is contained and "there is no active threat to the community at this time."

The city asked people to stay away from the area "to allow emergency personnel to help victims."

Police at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis today.  KARE

"FBI is aware of the reports coming out of @FBIMinneapolis and our agents are en route to the scene," FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said in a post on X. "We will provide more updates as able."

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he is "monitoring reports of horrific violence in South Minneapolis," and the emergency response team has been activated.

"We will share more information as soon as we can," he said in a post on X. "Please give our officers the space they need to respond to the situation."

"There is an active shooter here in Minneapolis right now, an unknown amount of victims at a church and school," Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said today.

"EMS has requested mass casualty. ... If any of you are doctors or otherwise first responders that could help — it seems to be a fairly significant shooting," said Martin, who is the former head of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party and is in Minneapolis for a DNC convention.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in St. Paul said it was responding to reports of an active shooter at the church.

Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz posted on X today that he has been "briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information."

"The BCA and State Patrol are on scene," Walz added. "I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."