As the first week of September 2025 unfolds, the tragic consequences of gun violence are again at the center of America’s political debate, following a devastating mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis. On August 27, a 23-year-old former student, Robin Westman, opened fire through the church’s stained-glass windows during Mass, unleashing 116 rifle rounds and leaving two children dead and 21 others wounded—18 of them children aged 6 to 15. The attack, which ended with Westman’s suicide, has pushed lawmakers, advocates, and grieving families nationwide to renew their calls for stronger gun control measures.
According to the Associated Press, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded swiftly, announcing on September 2 his intention to call a special legislative session dedicated to considering tougher gun laws. Addressing reporters after welcoming students back to a public school in Eagan, Walz described his plan as “very comprehensive,” signaling that it could include an assault-weapons ban, safe storage and liability insurance requirements, improvements to the state’s 2023 “red flag” law, and increased funding for mental health services. Walz emphasized the urgency of bipartisan cooperation, stating, “To be very candid, just in a very evenly divided (Legislature), I’m going to need some Republicans to break with the orthodoxy and say that we need to do something on guns.”
Yet, the legislative path forward is anything but clear. The Minnesota House is expected to return to a 67-67 tie following a special election, with Republicans holding the speakership, while Senate Democrats maintain a precarious one-vote majority. Republican leaders have voiced skepticism about the governor’s approach. GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, noted after a “long overdue” conversation with Walz, “If he decides to call a special session, anything that we do needs to have bipartisan support.” She stressed the importance of collaboration, warning that a session dominated by “partisan accusations and demands” would fail Minnesotans. Demuth also suggested that Republicans might support expanding school security funding to private schools and allocating more money for mental health resources—ideas Walz said he is open to considering.
In the aftermath of the shooting, the mayors of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and several suburban communities gathered at the Capitol to demand changes to a 1985 state law that prevents cities from enacting their own gun restrictions. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey voiced the frustration of many local leaders, saying, “If you’re not able to do it, or willing to do it there, give us the ability to keep our constituents safe. That is our call. That is our ask.” The mayors expressed a strong preference for state and federal bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines but insisted that, at the very least, cities should have the authority to implement their own protections.
Details emerging from the investigation into the Annunciation Catholic School shooting have deepened the sense of urgency. Police revealed that the shooter, Robin Westman, had personal ties to the parish—his mother worked there until 2021, and he himself once attended the school. Acting US Attorney Joe Thompson disclosed that Westman left behind videos and writings expressing “hate towards almost every group imaginable” and admiration for infamous mass killers. The attack has left the Annunciation community reeling; while most Minnesota public schools resumed classes on September 2, Annunciation students have yet to return, and school officials have not set a date for reopening. As of September 1, Hennepin Healthcare continued to treat three victims, including one child in critical condition.
The shockwaves from Minneapolis have reverberated far beyond Minnesota. In Hartford, Connecticut, lawmakers and advocacy groups convened on September 2 to press for federal action. According to FOX61, State Senator Richard Blumenthal led a press conference alongside Hartford Communities that Care, Moms Demand Action, and Mothers United Against Violence, calling for an assault weapons ban and federal safe gun storage laws. “We’re here, as kids go back to school and Congress goes back to work, to renew our call and it’s a call for action to prevent gun violence,” Blumenthal declared.
Blumenthal highlighted two legislative efforts: the Assault Weapons Ban of 2025, which would prohibit the sale, transfer, and manufacture of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines nationwide; and Ethan’s Law, named after a Connecticut teen who died from an unsecured firearm, which would require safe gun storage at the federal level. He urged his colleagues in Congress to work across party lines, underscoring the bipartisan nature of the challenge. “We need to come together to prevent tragedies like the one in Minnesota from happening again,” he said.
The press conference in Hartford was punctuated by the emotional testimonies of those directly affected by gun violence. Diana Roseboro spoke of her son, Jonathan Roseboro Jr., who was murdered in Hartford in August 2023—a case that remains unsolved. She joined advocates to support more gun control and mental health resources, saying, “There’s people out there that are hurting, that are traumatizing and they’re hurting other people. And they need to be helped.” Henrietta Beckman, president of Mothers United Against Violence, recounted losing her son, Randy Beckman, more than 20 years ago. “He had a four-month-old son, so you know they took a lot from us. But I forgave them, cause that’s what God says we should do. But in the meantime, it’s not easy. Every day I think about my son. Every day,” Beckman shared. Marylyn Hardrick, whose grandson was killed in Hartford four years ago, echoed the need for youth outreach: “I will talk to young people as much as I can because I want them to hear...don’t let someone lead you in the wrong direction.”
The scale of the crisis is staggering. The nonprofit Gun Violence Archive reports that, as of September 1, there have been 292 mass shootings in the United States in 2025 alone, defining a mass shooting as an incident where four or more people are injured or killed, not including the shooter. In Hartford, recent shootings have involved a variety of firearms, from assault rifles to handguns modified to increase their rate of fire—highlighting the complexity of the problem lawmakers and law enforcement face.
Despite the mounting toll, the path to reform remains fraught with political obstacles. In Minnesota, the closely divided Legislature means any meaningful change will require lawmakers from both parties to break with tradition and seek common ground. In Washington, D.C., efforts like Blumenthal’s depend on a Congress often gridlocked by partisan divides. Both states, however, are united by the voices of those who have lost loved ones—voices demanding that action replace inaction, and that children’s safety be placed above all else.
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of yet another school shooting, the debate over guns, safety, and responsibility is once again front and center. The coming weeks will test whether the shock and heartbreak of Minneapolis can translate into legislative change—or whether, as so often before, the moment will pass and the cycle will continue.
