Father Says Son’s Broken Arm Kept Him Home During Deadly Minneapolis Catholic School Shooting By Nicole Acosta

A father says his son’s broken arm kept him home during the deadly Minneapolis Catholic school shooting on Wednesday, Aug. 27.

Fox 9 Minneapolis reporter Corin Hoggard spoke with the father, who called the injury the “luckiest broken arm in the history of the world.”

Hoggard then choked up while showing a paper airplane the student made for him as gratitude for reporting from the scene. “I was just shocked,” Hoggard said, calling the gesture “so touching.”

Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed and 17 others were injured during a Mass service at Annunciation Catholic School just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a press conference.

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The students were celebrating their first Mass of the new school year at the church when the shooter fired a rifle, shotgun, and a pistol through its windows at the children and other worshippers in attendance. Chief O’Hara said 14 of the 17 people injured in the shooting were children, two of whom are in critical condition.

Several others are being treated at local hospitals.

Police believe the suspect, thought to be in his early 20s, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The chief couldn’t immediately confirm whether the shooter had ties to the school. A motive for the violence remains unclear.

“Don’t just say it’s about thoughts and prayers, these kids were literally praying,” Mayor Jacob Frey said at the press conference. “These are kids who should be learning with their friends, they should be playing on the playground, they should be able to go to school or church in peace.”