TRANSCRIPT
“She was with her family. And had been sitting on the side of the church...And so she described bullets coming in near her and hitting people. And there'd be a brief pause in the gun shots and then pounding on the wall and then (more) gun shots would start again.”
This is Karin Cebulla, whose former colleague was attending Mass along with children from the Annunciation Catholic School, when a gunman open fired through the chapel windows.
At least two children were killed, and 17 other people wounded, including two critically.
14 of those injured are children and three are adults in their 80s.
Madee Brandt was working near the church, and describes the chaos that followed the sound of gunshots.
“I was thankful to see kids coming out unharmed, safe, but just the looks on some of their faces. I just-- the screams coming from the Mums who didn't know where their kids are... You see the videos online, but it does not compare to seeing it and witnessing it.”
Minneapolis Chief of Police, Brian O'Hara, explains how the attack unfolded, calling it a deliberate and cowardly act of violence.
"During the mass, a gunman approached on the outside on the side of the building and began firing a rifle through the church windows towards the children sitting in the pews at the mass. Shooting through the windows, he struck children and worshippers that were inside the building. The shooter was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol."
The police chief also says at least two of the chapel doors had been barricaded from the outside using wooden planks.
The shooter, a 23-year old local resident, killed an eight-year-old and a 10-year-old before taking their own life.
Mr O'Hara says police have identified the suspect, who they believe acted alone.
"The coward that shot these victims took his own life in the rear of the church. That coward has been identified as 23 year old Robin Westman. No prior criminal history."
The F-B-I say they're investigating the shooting as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
Mr O'Hara says all three weapons used in the attack had been lawfully purchased by the shooter, and police are working with other agencies to execute search warrants for the church and three other nearby residences related to the shooter.
He says additional firearms have been recovered from those locations, and police are working with the FBI to determine the suspect's motive.
"We are also aware of a manifesto that the shooter had timed to be released on YouTube. This manifesto appeared to show him at the scene and included some disturbing writings. That content has since been taken down with the assistance of the FBI, and it now remains under active review by our investigators."
The shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, a private elementary school with about 395 students, was the 146th such incident since January, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database.
The school's Principal, Matthew Dubois [[do-bwa]] has commended the bravery of those who protected others.
"To any of our students and families and staff watching right now. I love you. You're so brave and I'm so sorry this happened to us today. Within seconds of this situation beginning, our teachers were heroes. Children were ducked down. Adults are protecting children. Older children are protecting younger children. And as we heard earlier, it could have been significantly worse without their heroic action."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has asked that people across the country join Minneapolis residents in supporting those who have lost loved ones.
"You cannot put into words the gravity, the tragedy or the absolute pain of this situation. We are a Minneapolis family. But to everybody out there, do not think of these as just somebody else's kids. Those families are suffering immense pain right now. Think of this as if it were your own. Every one of us needs to be wrapping our arms around these families, giving them every ounce that we can muster."
U-S President Donald Trump has ordered flags to be lowered to at half-mast at all government buildings until sunset on Sunday.
In a post on social media, he says the move marks respect for the victims of what he describes as a senseless act of violence.
And the Archbishop of Minneapolis and St Paul, Bernard Hebda, has delivered this message from Pope Leo the 14th.
"His Holiness Pope Leo the 14th, was profoundly saddened to learn of the loss of life and injuries following the shooting that took place at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis. And he sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child."
A Democratic Party congresswoman for Minnesota, Ilhan Omar says the tragedy, is yet another indication that something needs to change to address all-too-common gun violence.
"We know that once this investigation is done, once these families are made whole, then we can have the national conversation that is necessary to stop school shootings like this from taking place in our communities and devastating families all over this country.”
