Minneapolis shooting: 8-year-old and 10-year-old killed, 17 others hurt at Catholic school

An 8-year-old and 10-year-old had been shot and killed when a gunman fired photographs by the home windows of a church on the Annunciation Catholic College in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, police mentioned.

Seventeen others, together with 14 kids, had been injured within the capturing throughout a Mass that marked the primary week of college, police mentioned. Two kids are in vital situation, police mentioned.

The gunman died on the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara mentioned.

The mass capturing unfolded simply earlier than 8:30 a.m. when the gunman approached the facet of the constructing and fired a rifle by the church home windows towards the kids and different worshippers sitting within the pews, O’Hara mentioned.

Dozens of rounds had been fired, the chief mentioned, and he referred to as it a “deliberate act of violence towards harmless kids and different folks worshipping.”

The gunman — described as in his early 20s — was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, and police consider he fired from all three weapons, the chief mentioned. He additionally mentioned a doable smoke bomb was found on the crime scene.

Weston, a 10-year-old fifth-grader on the college, mentioned he was sitting subsequent to a stained glass window the shooter fired by.

“It was proper beside me. I used to be like 2 toes away from the stained glass window. So, the photographs had been proper subsequent to me,” Weston advised Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP.

The boy mentioned he and his classmates instantly hid below a pew because the gunfire continued.

“My buddy bought hit within the again. He went to the hospital,” mentioned Weston, who spoke to KSTP with the permission of his grandfather. “I used to be tremendous scared for him, however I believe he is OK.”

He mentioned he and his classmates had been taken to the varsity health club, the place they waited for the information of what had simply occurred.

Weston mentioned his mom was exterior the church when the capturing erupted, and was the primary individual he noticed when he emerged from the church.

“I used to be scared that I wasn’t going to see her as a result of I didn’t know what was taking place. I used to be simply in shock,” Weston mentioned.

Throughout a information convention, an emotional Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey mentioned, “These youngsters had been actually praying. It was the primary week of college. They had been in a church. These are youngsters that must be studying with their mates, they need to be enjoying on the playground. They need to be capable to go to high school or church in peace with out the worry or danger of violence, and their dad and mom ought to have the identical type of assurance.”

“This sort of act of evil ought to by no means occur, and it occurs far too typically,” he mentioned.

College students in pre-Okay to eighth grade attend the varsity. Younger kids sporting their uniforms had been seen leaving the varsity holding their dad and mom’ arms.

“Minnesota is heartbroken,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote on social media. “From the officers responding, to the clergy and lecturers offering consolation, to the hospital employees saving lives, we’ll get by this collectively. Hug your youngsters shut.”

The chief mentioned police are “trying by info left behind to attempt to decide some sort of motive.”

Legislation enforcement is investigating social media accounts believed to be related to the shooter, particularly a video posted earlier Wednesday on YouTube, sources aware of the matter advised ABC Information. The video exhibits somebody flipping by dozens of pages of notes, which embody what seems to be drawings of weapons and one drawing depicting the within of a church with pews.

One pocket book has a sticker that claims “defend equality” with a silhouette of a protracted gun, and one sticker references a German band that was standard with the Columbine shooters. The band has beforehand denounced any such violence.

President Donald Trump wrote on Reality Social that he is been “absolutely briefed on the tragic capturing.”

“The White Home will proceed to observe this horrible state of affairs. Please be part of me in praying for everybody concerned!” he wrote.

Trump referred to as Walz after the capturing to supply his condolences, a supply advised ABC Information.

It is a creating story. Please verify again for updates.

ABC Information’ Pierre Thomas, Jack Date, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Sasha Pezenik and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.