Minneapolis Police Briefing: Details on Annunciation Catholic School Shooting

Law Enforcement Response and Victim Details

• 🚨 Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara detailed the swift response to the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School, with an officer entering the church within minutes of the initial calls.
• 💔 A total of 20 victims sustained injuries from gunfire, including eight and 10-year-old children who were killed.
• 🩹 15 injured are children aged six to 15, and three injured are adults in their 80s, with several hospitalized in critical condition.
• 🔫 Evidence recovered includes three shotgun shells, approximately 116 rifle rounds, and one live handgun round that malfunctioned.

Investigation and Motive

• 🔍 Four search warrants were executed at residences associated with the shooter in Minneapolis, Richfield, and St. Louis Park, yielding additional evidence.
• 📝 The shooter left behind hundreds of pages of writings detailing plans, mental state, and expressing hatred towards various groups, including Black people, Mexican people, Christians, and Jewish people.
• 🎯 The investigation suggests the shooter idolized notorious school shooters and mass murderers, with a primary motive appearing to be gaining notoriety.
• 🚫 Law enforcement confirmed the shooter was not in FBI holdings prior to the incident and had no criminal history beyond a traffic ticket, indicating lawful purchase of weapons.

Community Impact and Support

• 🤝 Law enforcement partners, including county, state, and federal agencies, are collaborating on the investigation and increasing police presence around schools and houses of worship.
• 🙏 The community is urged to continue showing support for the victims, families, and first responders as the healing process begins.
• 🕊️ The US Attorney's Office is investigating the incident as a hate crime, seeking to confirm the shooter acted alone and to understand the motive behind the attack.

Shooter's Connection and Background

• 🏫 It was confirmed that the shooter had a connection to the parish and school, having previously attended mass there, attended the school, and had a mother who was a former employee.
• 🔒 The practice of locking church doors once mass began likely saved additional lives, though the shooter also attempted to barricade them.
• 🗣️ The shooter's name change in 2019 was confirmed, but there is no evidence of radicalization or involvement in specific online groups beyond a fascination with previous mass shootings.
• ❓ Law enforcement is still attempting to interview the shooter's mother and has not yet confirmed details about the shooter's living situation prior to the incident.