Active Shooter Guns Down Worshippers at Minneapolis Church: At Least Twenty Victims
On the morning of Wednesday, August 27, 2025, tragedy struck South Minneapolis when an active shooter opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School and Church, killing two children and injuring at least seventeen others. Authorities described the horrifying event as one of the worst school-related shootings in Minnesota’s history, shattering the sense of safety for families in the first week of the new academic year.
The Attack
According to Minneapolis police, the incident unfolded shortly before 8:30 a.m., just as students and staff were gathered inside the church for a school-wide Mass. Witnesses recalled that the service had only just begun when chaos erupted. A gunman, described as a man in his early twenties dressed entirely in black, approached the church armed with multiple weapons: a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun.
Without entering, he fired dozens of rounds—between 50 and 100 shots, according to investigators—through the church’s stained-glass windows. The bullets tore into pews filled with children, teachers, and clergy. In an instant, prayers turned into screams, with many dropping to the ground while others rushed to shield students.
Children as young as seven and eight years old were among those struck. Two children—a boy aged eight and a girl aged ten—were killed at the scene. The gunman appeared to deliberately target the congregation, ignoring other nearby structures.
Victims and Casualties
Emergency officials confirmed a total of twenty victims in the attack. Seventeen were injured—fourteen of them children—while three people, including the shooter, died. Hospitals across the city were overwhelmed as ambulances rushed the wounded to Children’s Minnesota, Abbott Northwestern, and Hennepin Healthcare.
Doctors at Children’s Minnesota confirmed that at least five children required immediate surgery for gunshot wounds. Several were listed in critical condition. Parents described desperate scenes outside the hospital, waiting for updates, clutching rosaries and one another’s hands as they prayed for their children’s survival.
Shooter’s Demise
Authorities said the gunman ended the attack by turning a weapon on himself. By the time police officers and SWAT teams reached the building, the suspect was already dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. His identity has not yet been released publicly, though law enforcement indicated he was a Minnesota resident in his early twenties with no prior criminal record.
The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, FBI, ATF, and Department of Homeland Security have all joined the investigation. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara called the attack “an incomprehensible act of violence” that will leave lasting scars on the community.
Law Enforcement Response
Within minutes of the first reports, Minneapolis police converged on the scene, locking down surrounding streets and establishing a reunification center for families. Parents rushed to the church, desperate to find their children. Many were instructed to wait at a nearby gymnasium as authorities worked to account for every student and teacher.
“Officers did everything they could to secure the area and prevent further loss of life,” Chief O’Hara said during a press briefing. He emphasized that while the shooter ultimately took his own life, the coordinated response prevented him from entering the building, which could have resulted in even greater carnage.
Community Reaction
Shock quickly rippled through the neighborhood, which just two days earlier had celebrated the start of the school year. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, visibly shaken, described the attack as “horrific violence against children who were literally praying.” He added: “This should never be normal. These kids should have been safe. Their families should not have to fear for their lives at church or at school.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz echoed those sentiments. “We are devastated. Our hearts break for the parents, for the students, for the teachers, and for the entire Catholic community,” Walz said. He pledged that state resources would remain on hand to support the victims and aid in the investigation.
President Donald Trump released a statement later in the day, calling the attack “pure evil” and promising federal assistance. He added: “We mourn with the families who lost children today, and we will not rest until we make sure our schools and churches are protected.”
Witness Accounts
Students who survived described a scene of terror. One 9-year-old girl told reporters from her hospital bed: “We were singing, and then the windows broke. I saw my friend fall.” Another student recounted being pulled under a pew by a teacher, who shielded several children with her own body until the gunfire stopped.
Parents spoke of receiving frantic texts from their children. “My daughter just wrote, ‘Mom, come now, I’m scared,’” said one mother. “When I arrived, all I saw were kids crying, blood on their uniforms, and shattered glass everywhere.”
A City Already On Edge
The shooting at Annunciation came just two days after another act of violence in Minneapolis. On August 25, a gunman opened fire near Cristo Rey Jesuit High School, killing one person and wounding six. The back-to-back tragedies have left Minneapolis deeply shaken, with many residents asking how two attacks on Catholic schools could occur within such a short span.
While authorities said there is no immediate evidence linking the two shootings, the proximity in time and place has intensified community fears.
Broader Context
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, the Annunciation attack marked more than 140 shootings at U.S. schools in 2025 alone. Gun violence has increasingly affected places once considered safe—churches, classrooms, and community centers.
Minnesota has enacted gun control measures, including universal background checks, but advocates say more needs to be done. Gun rights supporters, meanwhile, cautioned against politicizing the tragedy too soon, emphasizing instead the need for improved security at schools and places of worship.
Healing and Mourning
In the hours after the shooting, mourners began placing flowers, stuffed animals, and candles outside Annunciation Church. Vigils were organized at nearby parishes, where clergy and community leaders prayed for the victims and begged for an end to the violence.
Father Michael O’Connell, who had been preparing to lead the morning service, said through tears: “We were there to celebrate faith and community. Now we are left with loss, grief, and questions that may never be answered.”
Grief counselors have been dispatched to the school, and local officials say mental health support will be a priority for survivors, families, and staff.
Looking Ahead
As investigators comb through the shooter’s background and possible motives, Minneapolis finds itself grappling with heartbreak and anger. The attack exposed the vulnerability of children in spaces meant to nurture and protect them.
Whether the incident leads to policy changes, improved security, or renewed calls for national gun reform remains to be seen. For now, the city mourns its lost children, prays for the wounded, and struggles to come to terms with a morning when faith, learning, and innocence were shattered by senseless violence.
