Two children, aged eight and 10, have been confirmed dead following a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in south Minneapolis, United States, on Wednesday morning.
Earlier reports indicated that as many as 20 people were injured when a gunman opened fire on the school shortly after its all-school mass ended at 8:15 a.m. The attack began around 8:45 a.m., according to CBS News.
At a press briefing, the Minneapolis mayor, police chief, and a hospital official confirmed the deaths of the two children, while noting that 17 others sustained injuries.
Fourteen of the injured were children, seven of whom are in critical condition, according to medical officials cited by the BBC.
Authorities said the suspect, believed to be in his early twenties, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
He reportedly acted alone, had no significant criminal history, and was armed with three weapons — a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol. A smoke bomb was also recovered from a vehicle believed to belong to him.
Investigators disclosed that the gunman approached from outside the church and fired dozens of rounds through the windows, striking children who were inside praying during the first week of school mass. Police are still working to determine the motive behind the attack.
