Horror in Minneapolis: 3 Dead, 20 Injured in Catholic School Shooting
Minneapolis, August 27, 2025 — A place meant for prayer and learning turned into a nightmare on Wednesday morning when gunfire tore through Annunciation Catholic School, a private elementary school in southeast Minneapolis. The attack left three people dead—including the gunman—and around 20 others wounded, in what is now one of the deadliest school shootings in Minnesota’s recent history.
The Attack
At around 8:30 a.m., as students from kindergarten through 8th grade gathered for morning Mass, a man dressed in black and armed with a rifle opened fire from outside the church windows, spraying bullets into the pews. Witnesses reported sheer panic: teachers shielding children with their own bodies, students screaming as stained-glass shattered, and families rushing to the school in terror.
Police from Richfield, a nearby suburb, were among the first on scene, confirming a mass casualty situation. By mid-morning, officials announced the shooter was dead—having taken his own life behind the church—and that there was no longer an active threat to the community.
Victims and Casualties
Authorities confirmed that two of the victims were children, aged 8 and 10, killed instantly as they sat in the sanctuary. At least 14 other children were among the wounded, with two listed in critical condition. Parents were seen in tears, clutching their children as emergency responders evacuated classrooms.
Leaders React
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the massacre “horrific” and said: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was shattered by this unspeakable violence.”
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social: “I have been briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis. The FBI is on site, and the White House will continue monitoring this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for all those impacted.”
Minneapolis officials later confirmed that the FBI has joined the investigation, and agents are exploring possible motives, including whether this was an act of domestic terrorism.
Community in Shock
Founded in 1923, Annunciation Catholic School has been a cornerstone of its neighborhood for generations. On Wednesday, its halls were littered with police tape and bullet casings instead of children’s laughter. Video footage showed desperate parents rushing to collect their kids, some collapsing in relief, others in anguish.
The tragedy comes amid a wave of false active shooter reports at U.S. universities as students return from summer break, but officials stressed this attack was all too real—and devastating.
A City in Mourning
With vigils already forming outside the church, flowers and candles line the sidewalks as residents try to make sense of the loss. Clergy members have urged the city to come together in prayer, while parents demand stronger protections for children in places meant to be safe.
💔 Minneapolis now grieves with a haunting truth: on what should have been the first joyful week of school, a community was instead torn apart by gunfire, leaving scars that will last a lifetime.
