Minneapolis gunman fired into church pews, killing 2 children

A tragic morning unfolded in Minneapolis on August 27, 2025, as violence shattered what should have been a sacred start to the school year at Annunciation Catholic Church. Amid rows of hopeful students attending their first Mass of the academic year, a gunman opened fire through the church windows, killing two children and injuring 17 others—the majority of them minors.
 

The Incident: Unthinkable Loss in a Sacred Space

Authorities report that the shooter, a man in his early twenties, fired a rifle, shotgun, and handgun at the congregation before taking his own life at the back of the church. The victims included two children, ages 8 and 10, who were seated in the pews as the shots rang out. Fourteen children were among the wounded, and two remain in critical condition. Families who had gathered that morning to pray and celebrate the beginning of the school year were left in shock, grief, and despair.
 

Community and Official Response

City and state officials moved quickly with emergency services and law enforcement converging on the scene. Parents scrambled to reunification zones set up at the church, clinging to their children and to one another for comfort, while law enforcement reassured the public the shooter had been “contained” and there was no ongoing threat. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the pain and outrage of the community: “Children are dead, there are families that have lost a child; the weight of this tragedy, the depth of pain, is beyond words… These kids were literally praying.” Governor Tim Walz and President Trump expressed support and condolences, joining calls for prayers and action.
 

Grieving and Searching for Meaning

Annunciation Catholic Church has stood since 1923, serving children from prekindergarten through eighth grade. This week marked the return to classes, with the school’s cherished tradition of an all-school Mass held on the first week. For longtime members, the violence was unimaginable. One local resident described the four minutes of gunfire: “There was so much of it. It was sporadic. I was shocked. There’s no way that could be gunfire.” Former students, families, and teachers are mourning the loss and struggling to make sense of shattered safety in a beloved community space.
 

Another Chapter in the National Gun Crisis

The Minneapolis church shooting is just one among several senseless acts of gun violence that struck the city within 24 hours. It is a heartbreaking reminder of the vulnerability of schoolchildren and the urgent need for solutions that address both prevention and healing. Law enforcement and pediatric trauma facilities rushed children to care, while city and state leaders promised ongoing support to help affected families recover.
 

The Path Forward: Honoring the Innocent

As Minneapolis mourns, parents, educators, and city leaders reflect not only on the tragedy but on the resolve to protect the innocence of its children. The prayers of those lost are a call to action—a reminder never to allow hearts to harden in the face of brutality. Support for affected families and reforms to prevent further violence must be central to the way forward, honoring those whose lives were cut short while sitting in sacred pews.
 

This is a day Minneapolis will never forget, etched in sorrow and resolve, as a community seeks healing and justice for its youngest victims.