Demonstrators at the Minnesota State Capitol rally for an assault weapon ban. (FOX 9)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - Exactly one month after the Annunciation Church and School mass shooting in Minneapolis, a rally was held at the Minnesota State Capitol to call for a special legislative session to hold a vote on an assault weapons ban.
‘Don’t look away' rally in St. Paul
What they're saying:
Faith leaders, medical professionals, military veterans and members of the Annunciation community gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol to call for a statewide assault weapons ban.
Co-Chair of the Minnesota Chapter of Moms Demand Action Chad Kuyper said the following at the rally:
"It has now been one month since a gunman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic School with an assault weapon. One month since two school children never came home. Minnesotans are grieving, but we are also demanding action. One month later Governor Walz has still not called a special session. Thoughts and prayers aren't enough. If leaders continue to look away while our children are gunned down in classrooms, they are not just failing us, they are complicit in this crisis."
Volunteer Carla Gillespie with the Minnesota chapter of Moms Demand Action shared this statement ahead of the rally:
"Our state has endured the trauma of yet another mass shooting carried out with weapons of war, and Minnesotans are demanding change. Minnesota communities have made their call for action clear: we need an assault weapons ban. The Governor has an obligation to act quickly and call a special session to get this done, our kids’ lives depend on it."
St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter also spoke at the rally.
"A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I had the joyous moment of dropping our youngest daughter off at kindergarten for the first time. And that incredible, joyful moment was seasoned by that bittersweet taste, as my wife looked to see where my daughter's chair was in relation to the windows and doors," Mayor Carter said. "We are being robbed of our peace."
The rally was organized by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action.
Minnesota Gun Owner Caucus response
The other side:
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus released the following statement in response to the rally:
"Today’s rally was political theater, not policymaking. Even Governor Walz knows his party doesn’t have the votes for an 'assault weapons' ban—that’s why there’s no special session.
"And even if it passed, it wouldn’t survive in court. The Supreme Court has been clear in Heller, McDonald, and Bruen: commonly owned firearms like AR-style rifles are protected under the Second Amendment.
"The 1994 federal ban on so-called 'assault weapons' failed, California’s ban hasn’t stopped mass shootings, and the Minneapolis attack involved handguns and a shotgun. Focusing on cosmetics misses the point.
"Instead of pushing doomed bans, lawmakers should pursue real solutions: stronger mental health resources, community support, layered school security, and denying killers the notoriety they seek. Those steps save lives—political stunts don’t."
Context
Dig deeper:
After the Annunication mass shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said officers recovered 116 rifle spent rounds, three shotgun spent shells and a live pistol round that was recovered after the pistol jammed.
According to national data, 10 states have laws restricting assault-style weapons in some form.
Special delay
The backstory:
This comes shortly after Gov. Walz met with legislative leaders to push for a ban on new sales of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.
But he says Republicans are telling him there will never be a vote on these gun control bills.
READ MORE: Gun control special session stuck on runway, here’s why
Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth denies giving that warning.
She says so far, the governor and Democrats are offering only vague bans on not fully-written bills, while Republicans are focused on securing schools and boosting mental health treatment.
Demuth also says DFL leaders acknowledge there aren’t enough votes to pass a gun ban, with a split House and a few DFL senators — Sen. Rob Kupec, Sen. Grant Hauschild, and Sen. Judy Seeberger — often joining Republicans in opposing some new gun control measures.
The Source: This story uses information gathered from the demonstration held in St. Paul, a statement from the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus and previous FOX 9 reporting.