Minneapolis vigil follows school shooting

Vigils across Minneapolis express grief over the Annunciation Catholic School shooting and push for stronger gun policy.

Minneapolis mourns two children killed in school shooting as community demands policy change

Two children, aged 8 and 10, were killed when a 23-year-old gunman fired through the windows of the Church of the Annunciation as students gathered for Mass to begin the new school year. Fourteen other children and three parishioners in their 80s were injured, authorities said. The attack occurred in the Minneapolis area near Richfield, prompting vigils at the church and in nearby parks where families joined to mourn and show support.

The tragedy comes as gun violence remains a persistent national issue. CNN counts this year as the 44th school shooting, while the Gun Violence Archive records hundreds of mass shootings nationwide. At vigils, residents wore red Protect Minnesota shirts and spoke of the need for change. City leaders, including Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, urged unity and action, and thanked first responders. The Democratic National Committee suspended its final day of meetings when news of the shooting broke, highlighting how local grief can intersect with national politics.

Vigils frame grief as a shared call for policy action. They show how communities turn sorrow into voices that press for change beyond prayers. Yet turning emotion into policy requires steady advocacy, concrete measures on gun safety, school security, and mental health funding. The local response also mirrors a broader political tension that can slow progress even as communities demand it.

Highlights

The path from mourning to meaningful reform will require ongoing engagement and accountability.