A local resident expressed his shock upon hearing about the school shooting in Minneapolis that left at least 20 people injured.
He echoed sentiments shared by Governor Tim Walz, who described the event as ‘horrific’.
Following the incident, President Donald Trump commented on the situation, which unfolded during the initial week of classes at a Catholic school in Minneapolis. As of now, the motive remains unknown.
On the Truth Social platform, Trump stated he had been ‘fully briefed’ on the shooting.
He further mentioned: “The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene,” while emphasizing that the White House and FBI would ‘continue to monitor this terrible situation’. He also extended his prayers to those affected.
Witnesses described the attacker as a man dressed in black, carrying a rifle.
The BBC reported that local authorities confirmed there was no longer an active shooter, with the Minneapolis city government stating the attacker had been ‘contained’, posing no further ‘active threat’.
Minnesota Gov. Walz stated: “I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed in a press conference that the gunman ‘ultimately took his own life’.
O’Hara explained that the shooter fired at the church windows: “During the mass, a gunman approached from the outside of the building. He struck children and worshippers that were inside the building.”
Five children were taken to Children’s Minnesota, a pediatric trauma hospital.
Local resident Bill Bienemann recounted hearing numerous shots, possibly up to 50, over a nearly four-minute span.
“I was shocked. I said, ‘There’s no way that could be gunfire’,” he remarked, adding: “There was so much of it. It was sporadic.”
His daughter, Alexandra, is familiar with the school, having attended from kindergarten to eighth grade in 2014.
She expressed: “It breaks my heart, makes me sick to my stomach, knowing that there are people I know who are either injured or maybe even killed.”
“It doesn’t make me feel safe at all in this community that I have been in for so long,” she continued.
The school was evacuated, and a significant number of law enforcement officers were present outside.
Parents and children were seen reuniting.
In another statement, Democratic National Committee chairman Ken Martin acknowledged the shooting and the “unknown amount of victims”.
Earlier, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a statement advising the public: “The public is advised to stay away from the area to allow emergency personnel to help victims – W. 54th Street between Lyndale and Nicollet Ave. The families of children at the school can go to the reunification zone at the Annunciation School (525 W. 54th St.).”
This school shooting is the latest in a series of gun-related incidents in the city within a span of less than 24 hours.
On Tuesday afternoon, an individual was killed, and six others were injured in a shooting outside a high school in Minneapolis, with two additional fatalities in separate shootings in the city.
Alarmingly, there has been a recent surge in hoax calls about shootings on various US college campuses.
These hoax calls sometimes feature gunshot sounds in the background.
Some universities issued alerts recommending to “run, hide, fight” as the new academic year commenced.