Leaders and parents across the US have reacted in shock and horror as yet another mass shooting has struck the country, this time at a Minneapolis Catholic school where an assailant opened fire on children gathered in a church celebrating their first mass of the new school year.
Authorities said the shooting took place Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic school. Two children, ages eight and 10, were shot and killed as they sat in a pew at Annunciation church. About 17 other people were hurt, with 14 of them being children.
As details emerged, political leaders released statements on the shooting.
Minnesota governor Tim Walz wrote on social media: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey urged politicians to take greater actions in preventing gun violence, saying during a Wednesday press conference: “Every one of us needs to be wrapping our arms around these families, giving them every ounce that we can muster. These were Minneapolis families. These were American families, and the amount of pain that they are suffering right now is extraordinary.”
He added: “Don’t just say, this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church.”
Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith have also been briefed on the incident, with Klobuchar writing: “I am heartbroken by the horrific violence at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis this morning. My prayers are with the students, teachers, and families, and I am grateful for the first responders who are on the scene.”
Smith wrote: “My staff and I are monitoring the situation at Annunciation Catholic School. I’m grateful for the quick response of law enforcement as we continue to gather information. It’s the first week of school. These kids should not be fearing for their lives.”
Representative Ilhan Omar posted on social media: “I am beyond heartbroken over the tragic news of the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. I am praying for all the families impacted by this horrific tragedy.”
Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform, writing: “I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene. The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”
It was reported Wednesday that the president and Walz had spoken about the shooting.
Bill Bienemann, a local who lives just a couple of blocks away and is a longtime attendee of mass at Annunciation church, told the Associated Press that he had heard dozens of shots, perhaps as many as 50, over as long as four minutes.
“I was shocked. I said: ‘There’s no way that could be gunfire,’” he said. “There was so much of it. It was sporadic.”
Bienemann’s daughter, Alexandra, said she attended the school from kindergarten to eighth grade, finishing in 2014. She told reporters that after she heard of the shooting, she was shaking and crying, and her boss told her to take the day off.
“It breaks my heart, makes me sick to my stomach, knowing that there are people I know who are either injured or maybe even killed,” Alexandra Bienemann said. “It doesn’t make me feel safe at all in this community that I have been in for so long.”
The shooting marks the fourth deadly shooting in 24 hours in Minneapolis. Over the course of Tuesday into Wednesday, three people were shot and killed in three separate shootings.
Despite this morning’s shootings not appearing to be connected to the shootings of the previous day, police said: “The level of gun violence across the city within the last day is deeply unsettling. Across three separate multiple-victim shootings, eight people have been injured by gunfire and three have lost their lives.”
US school shootings continue to be an ongoing crisis. Last month, CNN reported that there had been 33 school shootings in the US in 2025 as of 25 July. Of these incidents, 14 were on K-12 school grounds and 19 were on college campuses. The shootings left 15 people dead and at least 41 other victims injured, according to the analysis.
Former representative Gabrielle Giffords, who was shot in the head at a meet-and-greet event outside a grocery store in 2011, said: “When will enough be enough?”
She added: “I am heartbroken that yet another community is affected by a mass shooting. This doesn’t have to be the reality for anyone.”
Speaking to reporters, local police chief Brian O’Hara said: “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible.”
