Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting: Tragedy & Aftermath

On the morning of August 27, 2025, children at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis gathered for Mass to celebrate their first week of school. Amid the familiar rituals of prayer and community, unimaginable violence erupted when a gunman opened fire through the church windows, turning a sacred space into a killing ground. This school shooting claimed the lives of two children—ages 8 and 10—and injured 17 others, most of them students. The incident joins the grim catalog of American gun violence, yet stands apart in its specific cruelty: an attack on worshipping children during what should have been a celebration of new beginnings.

The Unfolding Horror: A Minute-by-Minute Account

🕗 8:15 AM: Mass Begins

The all-school Mass commenced at 8:15 AM, with students in pre-K through eighth grade filling the pews. Many wore the school’s distinctive green uniforms.

💥 8:30 AM: Shots Ring Out

A gunman, described as a man in his early 20s dressed in black, approached the side of the church building and fired dozens of rounds through stained glass windows into the congregation. He was armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol.

🚨 8:34 AM: First Response

Within minutes, police and emergency services arrived at the scene. Witnesses reported hearing “dozens of shots, perhaps as many as 50, over as long as four minutes”.

⛪ 8:45 AM: evacuation and chaos

Students and teachers hid under pews as gunfire continued. First responders entered the building to provide medical aid and evacuate children.

😔 9:15 AM: The Grim Toll

Police confirmed two children dead at the scene—ages 8 and 10—and 17 injured, 14 of them children. The gunman was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound behind the church.

Voices From the Tragedy: Personal Accounts

The Children

Weston, a 10-year-old fifth-grader, was sitting just two feet from the stained glass window the shooter fired through: “My friend got hit in the back. He went to the hospital. I was super scared for him, but I think he’s OK”.

Another student watched friends be shot, with one injured in the neck and another in the stomach.

The Teachers and Community

Ellie Mertens, a 25-year-old youth minister, was seated with the children when bullets poured through the window: “I was just feet away from this window. The pew saved my life”.

Father Erich Rutten, from a nearby parish, described parents in “great anxiety and grief”—”wailing and crying, some stooping to the ground”.

Behind the Statistics: America’s Gun Violence Epidemic

This tragedy marks the fifth school shooting of 2025, according to NBC News tracking. It occurs against a backdrop of escalating gun violence in Minneapolis, with three other shootings occurring within 24 hours prior to the school attack.

Table: Recent Major School Shootings in the U.S.

The Gun Violence Archive recorded 286 mass shootings in the U.S. so far in 2025, defining mass shootings as incidents where four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter.

Political Response: Beyond Thoughts and Prayers

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered an emotional response that resonated across the nation: “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school. They were in a church”.

The shooting prompted statements from national figures:

• President Donald Trump: “I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting… Please join me in praying for everyone involved!”
• Former Rep. Gabby Giffords: “I am heartbroken and furious… How many more children will have to live this nightmare before our elected leaders do something?”
• House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries: “Weapons of war have no place in our neighborhoods, streets or schools”.

The Bigger Picture: Gun Laws in Minnesota

Minnesota ranks 14th among states for gun law strength, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. State laws require:

• Background checks for all firearm purchases
• Permits to carry guns in public
• Restrictions for those with violent offenses, felonies, or domestic abuse records
• Extreme risk protection orders (“red flag” laws) allowing temporary firearm removal from at-risk individuals

Despite these measures, the shooting raises questions about how the shooter obtained multiple weapons, including a rifle, shotgun, and pistol.

Healing and Moving Forward: Community Response

In the aftermath, the community mobilized support:

• Hennepin Healthcare treated 11 patients, including nine children ages 6-14
• A family resource center was established to help affected families
• The school implemented counseling services for students and staff

Bishop Kevin Kenney, who grew up in the parish, offered comfort to victims at the hospital: “It shouldn’t be happening… Something’s got to happen here in this city to stop this”.

Conclusion: When Prayer Isn’t Enough

The Annunciation Catholic School shooting represents a particular American tragedy: the violation of spaces deemed sacred, the targeting of society’s most vulnerable, and the recurring pattern of violence met with political paralysis. As these children prayed, they joined the unfortunate chorus of students across America who have faced violence in their places of learning.

The test of our society lies not in our ability to offer thoughts and prayers after such events, but in our willingness to implement solutions that prevent them. As Minneapolis mourns, the nation must confront difficult questions about gun access, mental health support, and school security. The children of Annunciation Catholic School deserved protection in their place of worship and learning—a basic expectation that, like for far too many American children, went tragically unfulfilled.

Table: Timeline of Key Events