Annunciation parents, survivors confront gun lobbyist after House committee vote fails
Annunciation parents, survivors confront gun lobbyist
After a proposed gun safety bill failed to get out of a House committee in a 10-10 vote Tuesday, parents of Annunciation students impacted by the Aug. 27, 2025, mass shooting at the school confronted Rob Doar, the President of the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has the story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Annunciation Church parents and a child survivor are pushing for new gun safety laws at the Capitol.
Annunciation parents confront gun lobbyist
The backstory:
After a proposed gun safety bill failed to get out of a House committee in a 10-10 vote Tuesday, parents of Annunciation students impacted by the Aug. 27, 2025, mass shooting at the school confronted Rob Doar, the President of the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center.
Annunciation parents, survivors confront gun lobbyist after House meeting
Annunciation parents and survivors of the Aug. 27, 2025 mass shooting confronted Rob Doar of the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center after a House committee meeting on Tuesday at the State Capitol. A proposed bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines failed in a 10-10 vote.
Annunciation shooting: Harper Moyski's parents give plea to ban guns at House hearing
The parents of Harper Moyski gave emotional testimony during a Minnesota House hearing on gun violence on assault weapons on Tuesday at the State Capitol. Moyski was one of two students killed during the Aug. 27, 2025 mass shooting at Annunciation Church and School.
Among the parents at Tuesday’s hearing were Mike Moyski and Jackie Flavin, the parents of Harper Moyski, Harry Kaiser, the father of Lydia Kaiser and Brittany Haeg, the mother of 6-year-old David Haeg.
Annunciation shooting: Lydia Kaiser’s dad speaks at House hearing
Harry Kaiser, the father of Annunciation eighth-grader Lydia Kaiser and a gym teacher at the school, spoke at a House hearing Tuesday on gun violence prevention and banning assault rifles. Lydia Kaiser was shot in the head during the Aug. 27 mass shooting, and survived her injuries.
Annunciation shooting: Parent speaks at House hearing on gun legislation
Annunciation parent Brittany Haeg spoke at Minnesota House committee meeting on gun legislation Tuesday at the State Capitol. Haeg's 6-year-old son was shot multiple times last August, and is now the youngest survivor of a school shooting in U.S. history.
Gun safety bills introduced
What we know:
House Democrats have introduced a package of seven gun safety bills, initially focusing on banning military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
The bills currently lack Republican support, making their passage uncertain. Democrats hope for a change of heart from Republicans in competitive districts, as polling indicates strong statewide support for the bans, particularly in the suburbs.
A moving tribute at the Capitol
Why you should care:
Gov. Tim Walz remarked on the powerful display in the Capitol featuring personal items from Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel, the students killed at Annunciation Church, calling it a "graphic reminder" of the impact of gun violence. The Annunciation family also led a singalong to emphasize their demands.
Lydia Kaiser, a survivor, stated, "All children have the right to live free from gun violence... No one should have to go through what we went through at Annunciation."
Opposition to the proposed bans
The other side:
Rob Doar from the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus argued that the proposed laws would not have prevented the Annunciation attack. He emphasized the need to prevent future attacks rather than focusing on symbolic prohibitions.
Minnesota Gun Owners leader defends 2nd Amendment at hearing
Rob Doar, the President of the Minnesota Gun Owners Law Center, said a bill to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, if it were law, wouldn't have prevented the mass shooting at Annunciation Church and School. He says ordinary people shouldn't be criminalized for owning ordinary things.
What we don’t know: The fate of the proposed gun safety bills remains uncertain, as they failed to move out of a tied House committee.
The Source: FOX 9's Corin Hoggard reported live from the Capitol.