BREAKING: Police Share Current Death Toll On Attack In Minneapolis: ‘Firing Into A Church’

Minneapolis was rocked by an unthinkable act of violence on Wednesday morning when a gunman opened fire on children and worshipers during a mass at Annunciation Roman Catholic Church, leaving two young children dead and more than a dozen others wounded.

Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the attack “absolutely incomprehensible,” describing the deliberate assault as “a sign of cruelty beyond comprehension.” The mass was being held to mark the first week of school for students at Annunciation Catholic School.

“Just before 8:30 a.m., our city experienced an unthinkable tragedy,” O’Hara said during a press briefing near the scene. “A gunman approached the church, armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol, and began firing through the windows into the pews, where children and families were worshiping.”

According to O’Hara, the shooter fired approximately 30 rounds from outside the building, striking children and parishioners seated inside. “The sheer cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” he said.

Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed instantly as bullets tore through the windows and into the congregation. Seventeen other people were injured, including 14 children. Two of the young victims remain in critical condition.

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The parents of the two children who died have been notified O’Hara confirmed. “Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their children, for these young lives that are now fighting to recover, and for our entire community that has been so deeply traumatized by this senseless attack..”

Emergency crews and police officers rushed to the scene within minutes of the first 911 calls. Officers entered the church as chaos unfolded, providing first aid to victims and helping terrified children who were hiding throughout the building. Paramedics transported the injured to nearby hospitals for treatment.

Several children, ages 6 to 14, are being treated for injuries at a Minneapolis-area healthcare facility, with some listed in critical condition, according to law enforcement officials.

The attacker, whose identity has not yet been released, took his own life at the rear of the church before officers could apprehend him. Authorities confirmed that the suspect was heavily armed and appeared to have planned the attack.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping,” O’Hara said.

The church shooting comes during a particularly violent stretch for Minneapolis. In less than 24 hours, the city has seen three separate fatal shootings, including a sidewalk shooting near Cristo Rey that killed one and injured six, and two other incidents that left two more dead and multiple others wounded.

Our hearts are broken for the families who have lost their children, for these young lives that are now fighting to recover, and for our entire community that has been so deeply traumatized by this senseless attack.” O’Hara said in closing. “As we begin the difficult path of healing, I want the community to know this, that even in the face of such evil, the Minneapolis Police Department and all of our law enforcement partners stand with our community.”