LIVE SOON: Authorities to speak after at least 5 students injured, suspect ‘contained’ in Minneapolis Catholic school shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (NEXSTAR) — At least five children were injured after a shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday morning, multiple authorities have confirmed. The suspected shooter has also been “contained.”

In a post to X shortly after 9:30 a.m. CT, the city of Minneapolis confirmed “an active police situation at Annunciation Church,” adding that there is “no active threat to the community” and that “the shooter is contained.”

The pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade school had an all-school Mass scheduled at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, according to its website.

Children’s Minnesota, a pediatric trauma hospital, said in a statement that five children were admitted for care. Hennepin Healthcare, which has Minnesota’s largest emergency department, said it was also caring for patients from the shooting. In a post to Facebook, the Richfield Police Department said officers at the scene reported 20 victims. Reuters reported that three people, including the shooter, are dead, citing a source with the U.S. Department of Justice.

“I have friends that know people who have been shot,” Bill Bienemann, who lives near the church, told The Associated Press. He said he heard “sporadic” gunfire that went on for “several minutes.”

Bienemann’s daughter, Alexandra, attended Annunciation School for nine years.

“It breaks my heart. It makes me sick to my stomach knowing that there’s probably people that I know that are either injured or maybe they were even killed,” she told The Associated Press. “It doesn’t make me feel safe at all in this community that I’ve been a part of for so long.”

City officials also identified a reunification zone for families of students at Annunciation School. Shortly after 10 a.m. CT, students and families could be seen walking away from the school. Many were trickling out of the school with adults, giving lingering hugs and wiping away tears.

Gov. Tim Walz said on social media that he had been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, located on the city’s south side, calling it “a horrific act of violence.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he was “monitoring reports of horrific violence in South Minneapolis” and that an emergency response team had been activated.”

Dan Bongino, deputy director for the FBI, said the agency is aware of the situation and “agents are en route to the scene.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.