Active shooter at Catholic church school in Minneapolis

On August 27, 2025, a lone gunman in his early 20s attacked Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, firing through stained-glass windows during a children’s Mass, killing two children, aged 8 and 10. Armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, he unleashed 50 to 100 rounds, targeting students in pews.

Seventeen others were injured, including 14 children, two in critical condition. “This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping,” said Police Chief Brian O’Hara. The shooter died by self-inflicted gunshot in the church’s rear.

The attack occurred on the third day of school, during the first Wednesday Mass of the year at 8:15 a.m. “He just pepper-sprayed through the stained-glass windows into the building, 50 to 100 shots,” an anonymous parent reported.

Emergency dispatch audio confirmed “at least 20 victims,” with medics transporting a 10-year-old boy with a head wound and others to Children’s Minnesota, where five children were treated. Witnesses described chaos as parents sprinted to the school, reuniting with bloodied children, some without shoes. “I don’t feel safe,” a crying boy told his father.

The school, serving 340 students, had no prior incidents. The attack exposed the vulnerability of children in worship, prompting a massive law enforcement response. “It’s horrific to think that a guy is shooting school children in a mass,” said Bishop Kevin Kenney, who prayed with devastated families.