A mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis left two children dead and 17 others injured on Wednesday morning, according to police.

Bystander Rushed to Help

Neighbor Pat Scallen ran toward the school after hearing gunfire. Inside, he saw chaos and children wounded. A young girl who had been shot in the head told him, “Please just hold my hand.” Scallen stayed with her and other victims until help arrived.

Victims and Injuries

Police said an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, both sitting in pews, were killed. Fourteen of the injured were children ages 6 to 15. Three elderly parishioners in their 80s were also shot. All survivors are expected to recover.

Shooter Identified

Authorities identified the gunman as 23-year-old Robin Westman, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A motive has not been determined.

Community in Mourning

Scallen described the school as a cornerstone of the neighborhood.

“There’s a spirit here, and I know they’ll be grieving for a while, but this place, they’ll come back,” he said.

For more on this tragic story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.