Minnesota Catholic Schools Warned Gov. Walz on Security Before Deadly Shooting

Two years before the tragic shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, leaders of independent and Catholic schools in Minnesota warned Governor Tim Walz about urgent security concerns for nonpublic schools, including Jewish and Muslim institutions, after a similar attack in Tennessee. They requested $50 million in funding for school security, but the funding was not authorized despite a significant state budget surplus. On the first day of the new school year, a 23-year-old transgender individual carried out a meticulously planned attack at the school, killing two children and injuring seventeen others. The shooter had legally purchased multiple firearms and left behind a disturbing video expressing violent threats and fantasies. Critics have blamed Governor Walz for ignoring the warnings and failing to provide additional security measures for nonpublic schools, while others have debated the broader issues of gun control and school safety. The tragedy has sparked political debate over how best to protect students in Minnesota and across the country.