Identified as 23-year-old Robin Westman, the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.
“This was a deliberate act of violence against innocent children and other people worshipping,” O’Hara said.
An Annunciation parent at the 8:15 a.m. Mass said students were packed into their pews when the gunfire began from outside.
“He just pepper-sprayed through the stained glass windows into the building, 50 to 100 shots,” said the parent, who did not want his name used. “This is terrible. This is evil. I don’t know how you defend against this.”
Neighbor Andy Winchell said the rapid volleys of gunfire “went on for a minute, plus.”
”It was very loud, like a ‘bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop, bop,’ " Winchell, 42, said. “We were like, ‘What was that?’ ”