STORYLINE:

A witness who was in the school church when a horrific shooting occurred in the U.S. state of Minnesota on Wednesday has recounted the terrifying moments when the incident unfolded but vowed the local community will stay strong in the wake of the tragedy.

Two children were killed and 18 others were injured after a gunman attacked at the Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning.

The city remains in deep shock following the horrific attack, as mourners of all ages continue to leave flowers, cards and other tributes outside the school.

Cathrine Spandel, a local parishioner who was attending Mass in the chapel when the shooting began during morning prayers, told of the initial sense of disbelief.

"At first, I thought it was firecrackers. I thought maybe some children were playing pranks outside the window. But before the principal could even say 'get down', I was down on the floor. I looked forward, I was facing towards the altar, but the young woman two rows ahead of me, she was looking back at me and we were crying and we both reached our hands towards each other, [but] We couldn't touch. We both prayed the Hail Mary. I thought that this was my last day," she said.

She continued to describe the scenes which unfolded inside the church, praising the school principal for his calmness in the face of the terrifying situation.

"I looked to the glass window and I saw a spray of what was probably the gunshot residue spraying forward, but also the glass breaking. It was point zero for those poor children, it came in on their periphery. They had no chance. The principal didn't crouch. He was so brave. He walked up and down the road yelling get down, get down. I had already hit the floor. My biggest fear was that they would gain access and one by one came up the rows. And that was my biggest fear," she said.

Residents there are just beginning the healing process following the devastating attack and though it will take time to truly come to terms with what has happened, Spandel hopes that the community can unite to overcome this unthinkable horror.

"We can't live in fear. We can't let him win. Those are my bold words talking right now. The first time I go back in, will I be strong? I hope so. With my friends by my side, I hope that I'll be able to do that and be strong for the rest of the community. I don't want to see this community go. I made all my sacraments here. I went to school here, all 8th grades. This is home to me. And so he destroyed my home. We're going to try and bring it back," she said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA - Recent (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)

1. Various of mourners placing flowers outside Annunciation Catholic School; flowers, tributes

2. Various of journalist talking to shooting survivor Cathrine Spandel

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Cathrine Spandel, parishioner (starting with shot 2/partially overlaid with shot 4):

"We had done the opening hymn, we had done the Confiteor and we just had said the Psalm and the shooting broke out. At first, I thought it was firecrackers. I thought maybe some children were playing pranks outside the window. But before the principal could even say 'get down', I was down on the floor. I looked forward, I was facing towards the altar, but the young woman two rows ahead of me, she was looking back at me and we were crying and we both reached our hands towards each other, [but] We couldn't touch. We both prayed the Hail Mary. I thought that this was my last day."

++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

4. Various of school chapel

++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

5. Various of school chapel, windows

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Cathrine Spandel, parishioner(starting with shot 5/partially overlaid with shot 7/ending with shot 8):

"I looked to the glass window and I saw a spray of what was probably the gunshot residue spraying forward, but also the glass breaking. It was point zero for those poor children, it came in on their periphery. They had no chance. The principal didn't crouch. He was so brave. He walked up and down the road yelling get down, get down. I had already hit the floor. My biggest fear was that they would gain access and one by one came up the rows. And that was my biggest fear."

++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

7. Various of flowers, tributes, mourners

++SHOT OVERLAYING SOUNDBITE++

8. Various of closed door at school chapel

9. Various of mourners placing flowers

10. Tributes, candles, flowers on ground

11. Child making chalk drawing on ground

12. SOUNDBITE (English) Cathrine Spandel, parishioner (starting with shots 9-11/ending with shot 13):

"We can't live in fear. We can't let him win. Those are my bold words talking right now. The first time I go back in, will I be strong? I hope so. With my friends by my side, I hope that I'll be able to do that and be strong for the rest of the community. I don't want to see this community go. I made all my sacraments here. I went to school here, all 8th grades. This is home to me. And so he destroyed my home. We're going to try and bring it back."

13. Children writing tributes on card outside chapel

14. Flowers, tributes