Governor Issues Statement on Deadly Shooting in Minneapolis

Good afternoon,

Bishop Barry C. Knestout, of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, has released this statement following the tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis:

“As a Church, we are all heartbroken over the tragic shooting this morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that took the lives of precious children and injured more than a dozen others. I am filled with even more profound sadness to learn that the horrors of this violence took place during an all-school Mass.

“The Diocese of Richmond remains firmly committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the loved ones entrusted to our schools. We implement a wide variety of measures to protect our school communities, including Emergency Response Plans tailored to the unique needs of each school.  Each time we hear about a tragedy such as this one, we are reminded of the importance of remaining vigilant.

“I ask everyone to join me in prayer for those who have tragically died and all those affected by today’s horrific violence, especially the families, first responders, the Annunciation community, and the entire Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis. May they find peace and comfort in Our Lord Jesus Christ.”