MINNEAPOLIS — A mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School during a Wednesday morning Mass left two children dead and 17 others injured, including 14 kids, authorities confirmed. The shooter, a man in his early 20s, also died.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the gunman, armed with a rifle, shotgun, and pistol, fired through the side windows of the church where students were praying. The children who lost their lives were just 8 and 10 years old.

“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and worshippers. The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” O’Hara said. Investigators are working to determine the suspect’s motive.

The gunfire, described by witnesses as dozens of shots over several minutes, prompted a massive law enforcement response. Families were directed to a reunification site as emotional reunions unfolded outside the school.

Several victims were transported to local hospitals. Children’s Minnesota admitted five children, while Hennepin Healthcare confirmed treating additional patients.

Governor Tim Walz called the attack “horrific,” while residents expressed shock and grief. “It breaks my heart, makes me sick to my stomach,” said former student Alexandra Bienemann, who wept after learning of the shooting.

Founded in 1923, Annunciation serves pre-kindergarten through 8th grade students. This tragedy struck just days after the school year began.

The shooting follows a wave of gun violence in Minneapolis, including a deadly shooting near another high school just a day earlier.

Local, state, and federal authorities remain on scene as the investigation continues.