Gov. Tim Walz to call special session on gun laws after Minneapolis school shooting

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz plans to call a special legislative session to consider tougher gun laws following a shooting last week at a Catholic school in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 21 people injured.

The Democrat told reporters Tuesday, after welcoming children back to a public school in the Minneapolis suburb of Eagan, that he’ll be making calls to lawmakers and working on a plan over the next couple of days. Walz said he intends to propose a “very comprehensive” package that could include an assault-weapons ban.

But it’s not clear if any new restrictions on guns can pass the closely divided Minnesota Legislature. A special election this month is expected to restore a 67-67 tie in the House under a Republican speaker, and Senate Democrats have just a one-vote majority.

“To be very candid, just in a very evenly divided (Legislature), I’m going to need some Republicans to break with the orthodoxy and say that we need to do something on guns,” Walz said.

GOP legislative leaders, whose support would be critical to any changes, have complained since the governor first floated the idea of a special session Friday that he had failed to consult them.

“As disappointing as it is that the governor is doing this in such an overtly political way, House Republicans stand ready to protect students and schools,” GOP Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, said in a statement.

Demuth indicated that her fellow Republicans might be open to expanding school security funding to include private schools, and providing more money for mental health resources, “instead of vague demands for policies that have not stopped gun violence in other states.”

While the governor didn’t give many details of his proposals, he said they won’t infringe on Second Amendment rights, but will protect students. He indicated his plan could include safe storage and liability insurance requirements, improvements to the state’s 2023 “red flag” law, and more funding for mental health. He also said he’s open to GOP ideas.

“If Minnesota lets this moment slide, and we determine that it’s OK for little ones to not be safe in a school environment or a church environment, then shame on us,” Walz said.

The mayors of Minneapolis, St. Paul and Bloomington planned to hold a news conference Tuesday to call on the Legislature to change a 1985 state law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun restrictions. The mayors support bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and say cities should be allowed to enact them if the Legislature won’t pass statewide bans.

Police over the weekend raised the number of injured to 21 — 18 children ages 6 to 15 and three adults — from Wednesday’s attack at the Church of Annunciation.

The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, died by suicide after firing 116 rifle rounds through the church’s stained-glass windows as hundreds of students from the nearby Annunciation Catholic School and others gathered for Mass on Wednesday.

While investigators last week said they had not found a clear motive for the attack, the shooter had connections to the school. Westman’s mother worked for the parish before retiring in 2021, and Westman once attended the school. Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said last week that the shooter left behind videos and writings that “expressed hate towards almost every group imaginable” but admiration for mass killers.

Tuesday was the first day back to class for most Minnesota public schools, but Annunciation students went back to school last Monday. No students have returned since the shooting and officials at the Catholic school have not yet said when their classes will resume.

Hennepin Healthcare said it was still caring for three patients as of Monday, and that it would not provide further updates. They included one child in critical condition and a child and an adult in satisfactory condition. Children’s Hospital of Minneapolis said one child remained there Tuesday but did not specify a condition.