Walz calls special session on gun laws after Annunciation shooting

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is calling legislators back to St. Paul for a special session aimed at tightening state gun laws following last week’s tragic shooting at a Minneapolis high school. The governor said the action is needed to address what he described as a “public health crisis” that has shaken families, schools, and neighborhoods across the state.

“We cannot sit idly by when our children are being killed in classrooms,” Walz said during a press conference at the Capitol. “Minnesotans deserve to know that their elected officials will take every step possible to keep our communities safe.”

The push comes after a gunman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School in South Minneapolis, killing two students and injuring several others. Authorities said the shooter, a 17-year-old former student, was armed with a semi-automatic rifle purchased through a private sale.

The attack has reignited debate at the Legislature, where Democrats have been pressing for years to enact stricter firearm regulations. Walz said he will use the special session to prioritize a ban on assault-style weapons, stronger safe-storage rules, and an expansion of Minnesota’s “red flag” law that allows courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals deemed a danger to themselves or others.

“Minnesotans have had enough thoughts and prayers,” Walz said. “They want action that will prevent the next tragedy, not just words after the fact.”

The governor’s agenda will face an uphill battle. The Minnesota House is evenly divided 67–67 after a recent special election, while the Senate holds only a one-seat Democratic majority. Republicans have signaled they will strongly oppose broad gun bans, arguing such laws infringe on constitutional rights and do little to stop determined shooters.

House Minority Leader Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) said her caucus will resist “extreme proposals that punish law-abiding gun owners” and urged lawmakers to focus on school security and mental health resources. Walz countered that a lack of legislative courage is putting children at risk. 

“We’ve tried the status quo, and it has failed our communities,” he said. “This is not about politics. It is about protecting lives.”

Community leaders in Minneapolis, particularly those representing Black, immigrant, and working-class families, have been vocal in calling for reforms. Gun violence disproportionately affects communities of color, where shootings outside of schools are a daily reality.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, a civil rights attorney and activist, said the governor’s plan is a step in the right direction but must be paired with broader investments. “We cannot only look at laws around guns,” she said. “We need to address poverty, opportunity gaps, and the trauma that so many young people carry.”

Local parents also expressed a mix of grief and frustration. “We send our kids to school to learn, not to die,” said Minneapolis mother Latasha Brown, who joined a vigil outside the school. “If lawmakers can’t come together now, after this, then when will they?”

Minnesota joins a growing number of states where mass shootings are spurring legislative sessions outside the normal calendar. The national debate has become increasingly polarized, with Democrats calling for bans on military-style weapons and Republicans emphasizing Second Amendment protections.

Former president Joe Biden issued a statement praising Walz’s leadership and urging Congress to follow Minnesota’s example. “We cannot let more innocent children pay the price for inaction,” Biden said.

Walz has not yet announced the exact date of the special session but said he expects lawmakers to convene within weeks. In addition to gun legislation, he hinted that the session may address funding for school safety initiatives and community violence prevention programs.

For many families, however, the urgency is immediate. “We don’t need more commissions or studies,” Brown said. “We need to know our kids are safe when we drop them off every morning.”

As lawmakers prepare for heated debates under the Capitol dome, the voices of grieving families and advocates may prove decisive in shaping the outcome. For Walz, the special session represents both a political gamble and a moral test. 

“History will judge us not by the speeches we gave, but by the lives we saved,” the governor said. “I intend for Minnesota to be on the right side of that history.”

Jasmine McBride welcomes reader responses at jmcbride@spokesman-recorder.com.