Gunman kills 3, injures 20 at US Minneapolis Catholic school

A tragic shooting at a Catholic elementary school in Minneapolis has left three people dead, including the gunman, and at least 20 others injured, a US Department of Justice official said.

The incident occurred in the morning of August 27 at Annunciation Catholic School, a private elementary institution connected to Annunciation Catholic Church, located in a residential area in the city’s south end, Reuters reports.

The school had only resumed classes two days prior and hosts approximately 395 students.

According to reports, the shooter—described as a man dressed entirely in black and armed with a rifle—entered the premises during a morning mass. Children were reportedly inside the church when the gunfire began. The shooter is believed to be among the deceased.

Authorities from the nearby suburb of Richfield confirmed the presence of an armed man at the scene. A press conference is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Central Time to provide further details.

Local television broadcasts showed harrowing scenes of parents rushing to the site, ducking beneath police crime scene tape to reunite with their children. Students were seen being escorted out of the school wearing green polo shirts and blue uniform skirts or shorts.

President Donald Trump stated that he had been briefed on the incident and confirmed the presence of FBI personnel at the scene. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” Trump wrote on social media.

Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem also acknowledged the event, noting that her department is “in close contact with local authorities and is actively monitoring the situation.”

The school shooting follows a wave of recent gun violence in the Minneapolis area. Since August 26 afternoon, there have been three other reported shootings in the city, leaving three people dead and seven others wounded, according to local police.

By Vafa Guliyeva