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Walz to unveil gun violence prevention proposals
Minnesota lawmakers will take up several gun control bills on Tuesday. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will unveil these proposals ahead of a House committee hearing that will discuss bills related to a ban on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons. This comes as students and families from Annunciation Catholic Church and School put together a display of empty school desks to represent the children killed by gun violence.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Parents of students at Annunciation Catholic Church and School installed 60 empty desks outside the Minnesota State Capitol on Tuesday to represent the children killed by gun violence and call for action to prevent future violence.
The installation comes as DFL leaders are planning to unveil a package of gun control bills on Tuesday morning.
Reminder of children killed by gun violence
What we know:
The installation of 60 desks outside the Capitol will be on display from Feb. 24–26, with organizers saying it represents the more than 200 Minnesota children killed by gun violence since 2021 and "serves as a quiet, unavoidable reminder of lives lost and futures stolen."
Empty desks, installed at the Minnesota State Capitol by parents of Annunciation Catholic Church and School, serve as a quiet reminder of the lives lost to gun violence.
The empty desks include two personalized desks to honor 10-year-old Harper Moyski and 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel, who were killed in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School on Aug. 27, 2025.
In addition to the empty desks, Annunciation staff, families and students will hold a time of reflection and song from 1 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday and 8 to 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Capitol Rotunda.
A group of Annunciation parents have also formed the Annunciation Light Alliance, a nonpartisan, parent-led advocacy group dedicated to protecting Minnesota children from gun violence, the organization announced on Tuesday.
Gun control proposals
Dig deeper:
There's been a push from gun control advocates to take up gun control legislation in the wake of the Annunciation shooting.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other Democratic leaders are scheduled to unveil a "comprehensive gun violence prevention package aimed at protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of Minnesotans" at 9 a.m. on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, a House committee will hold a hearing on proposed bans on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons. The hearing is scheduled for 10:15 a.m.
While Democrats have been pushing for more gun control laws for years, Republican lawmakers have refused to support the measures. They instead have sought more funding for school security and mental health treatment. A similar fight is expected with the bills introduced in the Minnesota Legislature on Tuesday.
The Source: This story uses information from an Annunciation press release, the Minnesota Legislature and FOX 9's previous reporting.