(MINNEAPOLIS) — An 8-year-old and 10-year-old were shot and killed when a gunman fired shots through the windows of a church at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, police said.

Seventeen others, including 14 children, were injured during the shooting during a Mass that marked the first week of school, police said. Two children are in critical condition, police said.

The gunman died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.

The mass shooting unfolded just before 8:30 a.m. when the gunman approached the side of the building and fired a rifle through the church windows toward the children and other worshippers sitting in the pews, O’Hara said.

Dozens of rounds were fired, the chief said, and he called it a “deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping.”

The gunman — described as in his early 20s — was armed with a rifle, a shotgun and a pistol, and police believe he fired from all three weapons, the chief said.

“We are looking through information left behind to try and determine some type of motive,” the chief said.

“These kids were literally praying,” an emotional Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said at a news conference. “It was the first week of school. They were in a church. These are kids that 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 without the fear or risk of violence, and their parents should have the same kind of assurance.”

“This kind of act of evil should never happen, and it happens far too often,” he said.

Students in pre-K to eighth grade attend the school. Young children wearing their uniforms were seen leaving the school holding their parents’ hands.

“I’m praying for our kids and teachers whose first week of school was marred by this horrific act of violence,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz wrote on social media.

Brian Leege, who lives two blocks from the school, told ABC News he was having breakfast with his daughter when he heard dozens of gunshots over two to three minutes.

“My husband’s a firefighter, and he got a phone call this morning [that] said that there was a incident at Annunciation, and that’s where my niece and nephew go to school … so he just took off on foot,” Emily Feste told Minneapolis ABC affiliate KSTP. “We heard about 15 minutes ago that they’re safe. But it’s so awful and it’s so scary.”

President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that he’s been “fully briefed on the tragic shooting.”

“The White House will continue to monitor this terrible situation. Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he wrote.

Trump called Walz after the shooting to offer his condolences, a source told ABC News.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News’ Pierre Thomas, Jack Date, Luke Barr, Aaron Katersky, Sasha Pezenik and Michael Pappano contributed to this report.

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