Minneapolis Mayor and Leaders Call for Action on Gun Violence after Shooting at Catholic Church and School

In the wake of a harrowing incident at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis, where a shooter opened fire on young children during their first week of school, city officials have called for action to address gun violence.

Mayor Jacob Frey, speaking at a press conference, expressed his sentiments that “these kids were literally praying” when the tragedy occurred. He urged for basic assurances ensuring families can feel safe in public spaces across the country.

Frey’s message was echoed by several Democratic leaders in Minnesota, who argued that the shooting incident should serve as a catalyst for addressing gun violence. Governor Tim Walz appealed to citizens and lawmakers alike, stating “keep us in your thoughts and prayers, but also keep us in the thoughts for action.”

Representative Ilhan Omar of Minneapolis criticized elected officials for prioritizing appeasement of the gun lobby over child safety. Senator Amy Klobuchar asserted that such an event should prompt immediate legislative action, stating “if a madman isn’t enough to make people move, I just don’t know what is anymore.”

However, it appears that political realities may hamper these calls for change, as Republican leaders in Congress have shown no signs of pursuing new gun measures in the immediate future.

Following the shooting, members of Minnesota’s congressional delegation expressed their condolences and offered prayers for the victims. Congress last passed significant gun safety legislation in 2022 following a massacre at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Investigations into the Minneapolis shooting are ongoing, but law enforcement officials have confirmed that the 23-year-old shooter legally obtained the weapons used in the attack, which included a rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed, while 14 students and three adults were injured.

Klobuchar suggested that lawmakers could strengthen background checks and address assault weapons, but acknowledged that legislative efforts would require additional buy-in. The US House last voted to ban assault-style weapons in 2022, a bill which, while passed, did not clear a Republican filibuster in the Senate.

The shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School has followed a summer of political violence in Minnesota. Former state representative Melissa Hortman was assassinated alongside her husband in June, and senator John Hoffman and his wife were targeted in a shooting that same night but survived.

Governor Walz, who eulogized Hortman at her funeral and served as a pallbearer, referenced the June attacks during a press conference following the recent shooting incident. “There’s a lot of cameras here and unfortunately we’ve been through these types of things,” he said. “They will be gone some point, but what happened here today will not be gone.”

The summer meeting of the national Democratic party took place in Minneapolis this week, during which Walz, Klobuchar, DNC chair Ken Martin, and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison all reflected on Hortman’s legacy.

Walz told Democrats that “we are forever changed by it,” but emphasized that Hortman’s legacy was one of improving lives. Following Frey’s address to a DNC committee, Martin announced the shooting incident and encouraged anyone with medical training to assist if possible. The meeting’s closing session ended prematurely in response to the tragedy.