NEWS WIRE SERVICES

An assailant fired a rifle through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis where students were celebrating their first Mass of the new school year Wednesday, killing an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old in the pews and injuring 17 others, police said.

The attacker then died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the rear of the church, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said at a news conference. Of the 17 people injured, 14 were children, the chief said. Two were in critical condition, he said.

The shooting, at about 8:30 a.m. Central time, took place at Annunciation Catholic Church, which has a school for children from prekindergarten through eighth grade. Monday was the first day of school, and the all-school Mass on Wednesday is an annual tradition.

Investiga

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