Two children have been killed and 17 others were left injured after a gunman opened fire on pupils attending mass at a Catholic school in Minnesota.
Emergency services attended the scene near the Annunciation Church, Minneapolis, earlier this afternoon after receiving reports of a major incident.
The assailant, wielding a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, fired dozens of rounds through the church windows, killing two children, aged eight and 10, officials said.
A spokesman confirmed the suspected shooter, named locally as 23-year-old Robin Westman, took his own life in the grounds of the church.
Law enforcement officers set up barriers after a shooting at Annunciation Church
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Law enforcement officers gather outside Annunciation Church
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Emergency services are outside the Catholic school in Minneapolis
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Following the incident, President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social page: "I have been fully briefed on the tragic shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The FBI quickly responded and they are on the scene.
"The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved."
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz added: "I’ve been briefed on a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and will continue to provide updates as we get more information.
"The BCA and State Patrol are on scene. I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence."
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Parents await news of their children's status after shooting at Annunciation Church
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Families and loved ones reunite outside the police barricades after a shooting at Annunciation Church
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Speaking at a press conference later this afternoon, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said: "This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshiping.
"The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible."
The shooting took place two days after school started at Annunciation Catholic school, a private elementary school with about 395 students.
The school is connected to Annunciation Catholic Church, and both are located in a residential area in the southeast part of Minnesota's largest city.
Local TV showed parents ducking under yellow police crime tape and leading students out of the school.
Law enforcement officers gather outside Annunciation Church following a mass shooting
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Law enforcement use K-9 dogs to search a nearby neighborhood, after a shooting at Annunciation Church
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A woman and child holds hands, as they walk toward the site of the shooting at Annunciation Church
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Officials said the shooter wore black clothing, was in his early 20s and did not have an extensive criminal history. They did not provide his name and said they were trying to identify a motive.
Children's Minnesota, a local hospital system, later confirmed it is treating six children.