Minneapolis police chief praises officers for response to Catholic church shooting
The Minneapolis police chief praised the first responders who bravely rushed to the scene of a shooting early Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church.
Chief Brian O'Hara says he is proud of the way officers reacted when faced with a dangerous situation.
He spoke about the officer in plain clothes who ran into the church, asking where the shooter was and following the sound of gunshots to eliminate the threat.
O'Hara says what officers saw in those first minutes after the shooting is something that has an impact on them.
"To have to see what they saw and still be able to perform, I'm incredibly proud that they got it done. But I know in the aftermath of that, now that is an incredible emotional burden," O'Hara said. "So we are trying to do what we can to help ensure not only that our community heals, that we are here for our community, but also that we are able to look out for our people, so our people are healthy and well and able to come back to work and perform when our residents need them again."
O'Hara praised officers for running to the aid of the children and getting them to safety, all while performing life-saving measures until medics arrived.
Hennepin Healthcare says if not for their heroic efforts, there would have been more lives lost.
The chief says his agency's health and wellness department is speaking with officers. He says more than a dozen were seriously impacted by what they saw.
Mental health care workers are helping officers so they are prepared to continue to serve and protect the people of Minneapolis.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress, get help from the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Trained crisis counselors are available 24 hours a day to talk about anything.
In addition, help is available from the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI. Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 or text "HelpLine" to 62640. There are more than 600 local NAMI organizations and affiliates across the country, many of which offer free support and education programs.