The White House says Vice President JD Vance will be in Minneapolis on Wednesday to pay his respects to the victims of last week’s mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church.
Vance will be joined by his wife, Usha Vance. Officials say the two plan to “hold a series of private meetings to convey condolences” to victims and their families.
The White House did not provide any more details about the visit.
On Aug. 27, a shooter firing through the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church during a school Mass killed two children and injured 21 other people — most of them also kids. Two children remain hospitalized as of Tuesday night, one of them being in critical condition.
Hours after the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying.”
That response drew criticism from Vance.
“It is shocking to me that so many left-wing politicians attack the idea of prayer in response to a tragedy,” Vance tweeted. “Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action. We pray because our hearts are broken and we believe that God is listening.”
In the days following the shooting, community members and other elected officials, including Frey, have been calling for change.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz confirmed on Tuesday he wants a special session to vote on a gun control package that would include a ban on assault weapons.
Several Twin Cities mayors also gathered on Tuesday to call on state lawmakers to address gun violence and change a law that prohibits cities from passing their own gun reforms.
Rob Doar, the senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, said he doesn’t believe new gun control proposals will pass.
“I understand the need to look at potential gaps in the systems,” Doar said. “But it seems like this is being used as a mechanism to enact a much larger, broader gun control agenda with many items that have nothing to do with the tragedy.”
Gun violence advocates, however, point to the recent success Minnesota has had in passing gun safety policies.
In 2023, a DFL-controlled legislature passed expanded background checks on people buying guns. In 2024, the legislature boosted penalties for straw gun purchases. The bill had bipartisan support, but Republicans didn’t support other provisions, including a ban on binary triggers, a device that can double the rate of fire. Last month, a judge struck the provision down.
Even with a trifecta, the DFLe wasn’t able to get a couple of gun laws across the finish line, including safe gun storage and reporting requirements for lost or stolen guns. A bill that would’ve banned assault weapons and large-capacity magazines was introduced, but never got a hearing.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
Derek James and
contributed to this report.
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