What we know about victims in Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

(NewsNation) — Authorities in Minneapolis are working to notify the families of the victims of Wednesday’s deadly attack on a Catholic school and church.

A gunman killed two children and wounded 17 other people, including 14 children, in the attack at Annunciation Catholic School. Located on the south side of the city, Reuters reports that the school has around 395 students in attendance.

During a news briefing Wednesday morning, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said two students from Annunciation, who were 8 and 10 years old, were killed.

“During the Mass, a gunman approached on the outside of the side of the building and began firing a rifle through the church windows towards the children sitting in pews at the Mass,” O’Hara said. He added during a later briefing that the two children were pronounced dead at the scene.

The families of the children have been notified and the gunman’s motive has not yet been determined.

The injured children, all ranging in age from six to 15 years old, are expected to be OK and are with their parents in the hospital. The three injured adults were parishioners in their 80s, O’Hara said.

“Please lift up these families and these children in prayer and surround them and each other with your love during this difficult time,” Annunciation principal Matthew DeBoer said in a statement.

In a post on social platform X, the White House said President Donald Trump ordered all flags at half-staff Wednesday as “a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated” in the shooting.

Comforting the victims

Bishop Kevin Kenney, who is an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis, is among those who’ve worked to help the victims.

He told NewsNation’s Nicole Berlie, “My parish is four blocks from Hennepin County Hospital, and so when I heard of the shooting and what was going on and families being brought or victims being brought to Hennepin County, I walked down to the hospital just to be present for the families and to be able to wait with them as they heard about news of their children. Plus, as well, it was a grade school I went to many years ago, but Annunciation is very dear to my heart as well, having grown up in that parish and gone to grade school there. So it was a very, very sad day for all of us.”

Bishop Kenney also talked about ways to help the victims and the support that has been coming in from across the country. “Prayer; just to pray for the families and all the families, especially of all the students and the students who experienced this at Annunciation,” he said. “Nationwide, people are reaching out, sending notes to all kinds of people I’ve heard from, and talking to family members who are getting texts from people they knew. And I’m sure Annunciation is just getting bombarded with lots of support and prayers from alumni and from parishioners and from around the world, people who really see this as horrific as we all do.”

A vigil is planned for Wednesday night.

Ways to help victims

The City of Minneapolis is asking those who want to help and support the victims of the shooting to donate money. In coordination with the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Foundation has established a text-to-donate line.

The public can text ACF1 to 41444.

Also, the Minneapolis Foundation announced it’s hosting this fund and will work with the Annunciation community in the coming days and weeks to equitably distribute the funds to those affected.