Gun safety sit-in: Tensions rise at MN State Capitol, video shows heated exchange between lawmakers

Video shows heated exchange between MN lawmakers

A video shows Minnesota DFL Rep. Aisha Gomez yelling at GOP Rep. Elliot Engen after lawmakers failed to bring a bill on gun violence prevention to the House floor for a vote. FOX 9's Chenue Her has the latest details. 

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Minnesota DFL lawmakers are continuing their sit-in inside the House chambers as they hope to bring a bill on gun violence prevention to the floor for a vote. 

House DFL representatives say they have been sitting in the chamber since 9 p.m. Thursday night in hopes that a vote will be held. 

The tension culminated in a heated exchange between lawmakers that was caught on camera on Thursday night, with Minnesota House Republicans now calling for the removal of a Democratic representative from the tax chair after they claim she "verbally accosted" a GOP representative. 

READ MORE: Gun safety advocates deliver 8,000 signatures as House DFL stages sit-in

Gun violence prevention sit-in

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Minnesota lawmakers are staging a sit-in over the gun safety bill. FOX 9's Corin Hoggard has more. 

Lawmakers advocating for a House floor vote on a gun violence prevention bill say they plan to remain inside the chamber until a vote takes place.

The next session has been pushed to noon on Saturday.

"We said from the beginning that we will be here until we gavel again to show that we are ready to vote on these packages and to continue to uplift the voices of Minnesotans," said Rep. Andy Smith (DFL-Rochester) during a live Zoom interview from the House chambers.

"We hope that Speaker Demuth will hear our pleas and will hear the pleas of all of Minnesota who has been organizing and supporting us for the last couple hours," said Rep. Liz Lee (DFL-St. Paul). 

House Speaker Lisa Demuth previously said she is not blocking the bill, but that it is stalled in committees. 

FOX 9 reached out to GOP representatives to arrange an interview but has not heard back as of Friday morning. 

Video shows altercation between lawmakers 

What they're saying:

The tension at the Minnesota State Capitol led to a heated exchange between lawmakers, with GOP leadership now calling for a DFL representative to be removed from her role as tax chair after she allegedly "verbally accosted" a colleague.

Video shows Rep. Aisha Gomez (DFL-Minneapolis) yelling at Rep. Elliot Engen (R-White Bear Lake Township) in the House chambers, saying, "Think about them, not yourself, how bout that [Expletive]."

House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Floor Leader Harry Niska released a statement that partially said, "This kind of behavior is unacceptable, and it makes every person in this place less safe […] Someone willing to spew hate and accost colleagues is unfit to serve as a leader in Minnesota."

GOP leaders are also calling for Gov. Walz to condemn Rep. Gomez for her actions. 

Rep. Gomez responded by saying, "Despite claims from Republicans, multiple videos show I clearly say, ‘Think of them, not yourself, how about that.’ At no point did I say what the right wing media would have you believe was said. It's a total fabrication of my actual words."

What's next:

The legislative session is set to end on Sunday at midnight.