- Minnesota’s top health professionals gathered at the State Capitol on Thursday, urging Governor Tim Walz to call a special session to address gun violence. The plea comes more than a month after the deadly shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School in Minneapolis.
Led by Dr. Lisa Mattson, president of the Minnesota Medical Association, the doctors demanded the passage of four key gun control measures — banning assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, enforcing safe storage laws, and repealing the preemption law that prevents cities from setting their own gun regulations.
“This is not a polite request,” said Dr. Mattson. “It’s a demand from thousands of physicians who see gun violence for what it truly is — a public health crisis.”
Doctors who treated the Annunciation victims described the emotional toll and devastating injuries they witnessed. Dr. Trish Valusek, a pediatric trauma surgeon at Children’s Minnesota, said the young victims’ wounds were unlike anything she had seen before.
“Having five children the same age as my own, one even sharing my child’s name, arrive at once covered in blood — it’s unimaginable,” she said. “Children’s small bodies can’t withstand the trauma caused by these weapons.”
Dr. Tim Kummer, the first physician on the scene, recalled the chaos, the screams of parents, and the severity of the injuries. He said assault rifles amplified the scale of the tragedy.
“This isn’t a complex issue,” Kummer stated. “Gun violence is a public health problem, and the evidence is clear — limiting access to certain weapons saves lives.”
Governor Walz has not confirmed if a special session will be called, as political negotiations remain stalled between DFL and Republican leaders. DFL lawmakers say they are ready to act, while Republicans’ proposals focus mainly on school safety and mental health — leaving out key gun reforms.
The Annunciation shooting on August 27 claimed the lives of two students and wounded 21 others, including 18 children. The 23-year-old gunman, a former student, took his own life at the scene. Investigators have yet to determine a motive.
