00:00Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is asking Minnesota's legislature to return to special session so that lawmakers can debate and possibly pass stronger gun control laws, according to reports.
00:13The move comes after a gunman opened fire at Annunciation Catholic Church and School on August 27th.
00:20Two children aged 8 and 10 were killed and 21 others were injured.
00:24After attending back to school events Tuesday, Walz told reporters that he'll be calling lawmakers in the coming days to work on a detailed plan covering several aspects of gun legislation.
00:36One part of the plan might be a ban on assault weapons.
00:39The sad reality of it is that what happened last week is preventable because so many nations around the world do it and we cannot resign ourselves to believe that our little ones can't be safe in what should be and always is the most safe environments they can possibly be in.
00:55So there's more work to do there, Walz said, as reported by KSTP News.
01:00The governor hasn't fully explained his proposals yet, but said that they won't infringe on Americans' Second Amendment right to bear arms.
01:07He said that he is willing to consider suggestions from Republicans.
01:11It's uncertain whether new gun laws would even get enough votes to become law.
01:15The state legislature is nearly evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, making it hard to pass controversial laws.
01:22The House is expected to be tied 67 to 67 with Republicans in charge, and the Senate has a very narrow Democratic majority with just one vote.
01:32As 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, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa DeMuth said in a statement on X.
01:44I hope we can have a real conversation about all aspects of safety, including things like the school security funding that was denied by the DFL trifecta in 2023, and more funding for desperately needed mental health resources instead of vague demands for policies that have not stopped gun violence in other states, the Cold Spring Republican added.
02:0523-year-old Robin Westman carried out the mass shooting at the Catholic school in Minneapolis on August 27th.
02:12Officials said Westman used a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun to fire more than 100 shots through the decorative glass windows of the church while students were attending mass.
02:24For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan.
02:26If you want more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com.
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