Witnesses to a mass shooting in the US state 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, identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Authorities have not yet provided a suspected motive.
Westman was a former pupil of the school adjacent to the church, and the attacker's mother had previously worked at the establishment.
The young survivor, 10-year-old Weston Halsne, explained to CBS affiliate WCCO that his friend saved him from bullets by lying on top of him.
Weston stated, I was like two seats away from the stained glass window. My friend, Victor, saved me though, because he laid on top of me, but he got hit. He expressed his fear for Victor's well-being but was relieved to learn he was recovering.
Weston mentioned they were well-drilled in shooting situations but never practiced in a church setting. Neighbors reported initially mistaking the sound of gunfire for a construction-related noise before recognizing the horror unfolding inside.
Witness accounts revealed chilling sights of children emerging covered in blood and frantic scenes around the church. Many local residents expressed their shock and sadness during vigils held for the victims, where community solidarity was evident.
The shooting incident in Minneapolis has reignited conversations around gun violence and the trauma that it increasingly brings to American communities, especially those involving children.
As the community grapples with this event, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and others have called for reflection on a situation that is becoming all too common across the country.
