A Minneapolis Catholic school turned into the scene of fear and chaos Wednesday morning when gunfire broke out during the first week of classes, prompting a rapid, multi-agency law enforcement response and urgent evacuations of children.
Authorities confirmed that the shooting occurred at Annunciation School, a pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade institution housed within Annunciation Church. The Minneapolis city government said the suspected shooter had been “contained,” assuring residents that there was no ongoing threat. However, officials offered no immediate details on casualties or the number of shots fired.
Governor calls incident “horrific”
Governor Tim Walz, who was briefed on the unfolding situation, condemned the violence. Writing on X, he said: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
Evacuations and heavy police presence
The school, founded in 1923, had been scheduled to hold its first all-school Mass of the year at 8:15 AM. Instead, frightened students, many in their green uniforms just days into the new academic term, were escorted out under the watch of police. A staff member answering the school’s phone confirmed evacuations were underway.
Local and state police, federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) agents, and emergency personnel converged on the scene. Streets around the South Minneapolis parish school were cordoned off as anxious parents rushed to gather information about their children’s safety.
Violence follows a series of shootings in Minneapolis
The school shooting comes amid a wave of gun violence across Minneapolis. On Tuesday afternoon, one person was killed and six others were wounded in a shooting outside a city high school. Hours later, two separate shootings claimed two more lives.
City officials, while confirming the Annunciation School shooter was contained, have not disclosed a motive, the suspect’s identity, or whether anyone was injured inside the school.
A community shaken
For the families of Annunciation, a week that began with children greeting each other at bicycle racks and posing for first-day photos has now veered into trauma and uncertainty. For Minneapolis, the incident deepens concern about gun violence spilling into spaces once considered safe havens for children.
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