An 8-year-old and 10-year-old were shot and killed when a gunman fired shots through the windows of a church at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, police said.
Seventeen others, including 14 children, were injured during the shooting during a mass that marked the first week of school, police said. Two children are in critical condition, police said.
The gunman died by suicide in the back of the church, police said.
Students in pre-K to eighth grade attend the school. Young children wearing their uniforms were seen leaving the school holding their parents’ hands.
"I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence," Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote on social media.
Brian Leege, who lives two blocks from the school, told ABC News he was having breakfast with his daughter when he heard dozens of gunshots over two to three minutes.
"My husband's a firefighter, and he got a phone call this morning [that] said that there was a incident at Annunciation, and that's where my niece and nephew go to school ... so he just took off on foot," Emily Feste told Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP. "We heard about 15 minutes ago that they're safe. But it's so awful and it's so scary."
Walz said state authorities are at the scene. Agents from the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded.
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that he's been "fully briefed on the tragic shooting."
"The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!" he wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security is monitoring the shooting, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.
"I am praying for the victims of this heinous attack and their families," she said.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News' Pierre Thomas, Jack Date, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Sasha Pezenik and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.