Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US city of Minneapolis have described the 'terrifying' scenes after an attacker opened fire on a church in which children were celebrating Mass on Wednesday morning.
One young boy described being protected by a friend who got hit himself.
Two children were killed and 17 others injured in an incident that the FBI is treating as an anti-Catholic hate crime.
The attacker, named as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet given a suspected motive.
Westman was a former pupil of the school that is adjacent to the church, according to reports. The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, explained that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him.
Weston was only two seats away from the stained glass window when the shooting began. He stated, 'My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit.'
Hundreds of people attended a vigil for the victims, reflecting the community's grief and anger over the ongoing issue of gun violence in the US.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed concern that such incidents have become 'all too common' across the country.
In addition to local officials, Pope Leo XIV also paid tribute to the victims, expressing his profound sadness at the attack.
The event has amplified discussions surrounding safety in schools and places of worship, with parents and community leaders calling for urgent action to address gun violence.
