Minnesota doctors demand assault-weapon ban
At a news conference at the State Capitol, physicians who treated victims of the Aug. 27 Annunciation Church mass shooting in Minneapolis urged lawmakers to call a special legislative session and enact statewide gun measures, including bans on assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, mandatory locked-and-unloaded storage, and removal of the state preemption preventing local governments from adopting stricter firearm rules.
Public Safety
Health
Government/Regulatory
🔍 Key Facts
- Minnesota Medical Association leaders and trauma surgeons who treated Annunciation victims held the press event at the Minnesota State Capitol.
- They demanded four specific policy actions: ban assault-style weapons; ban high-capacity magazines; require firearms be stored locked and unloaded with ammunition stored separately; lift state prohibition on localities enacting stricter gun rules.
- GOP House leaders signaled they favor measures on school safety and mental-health funding but did not include further gun restrictions in their stated priorities.
📍 Contextual Background
- Minnesota state law currently includes a prohibition preventing local municipalities from enacting firearm regulations that are stricter than state law.
- Minnesota House Republican leaders Speaker Lisa Demuth (R–Cold Spring) and House Floor Leader Representative Harry Niska (R–Ramsey) said their party would favorably consider, during a special legislative session, bills related to improving school and student safety, improving mental-health access and funding, and improving public safety, without proposing additional statewide gun restrictions.