St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and leaders of other metro-area cities are calling for the Minnesota Legislature to allow them to create local gun control laws if state lawmakers can’t reach an agreement on new policies.

Gov. Tim Walz has said he plans to call a special session to address gun policy after the shooting last week at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis that killed two young children and injured 18 others.

Walz and Democratic-Farmer-Labor lawmakers want new restrictions on firearms, but they’ll have to get Republican support to pass bills like a ban on certain semiautomatic rifles and limiting the capacity of magazines. And, that appears unlikely.

Gov. Tim Walz. (Jose. F. Moreno / The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

Recognizing that political reality, Carter, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and leaders of seven other cities gathered Tuesday at the Minnesota Capitol to ask state leaders to repeal a 1985 state law preventing local governments from enacting their own gun control.

“We have an emergency and we are simply asking our legislature to do what every 8-year-old in that school knew to do last week: Take action,” said Carter, noting along with other mayors that he would prefer a federal or state ban to local action.

“If you’re not able to do it or willing to do it there, give us the ability to keep our constituents safe,” Frey said. “That is our call. That is our ask.”

Chances at Legislature?

Leaders from Bloomington, Stillwater, Vadnais Heights, Minnetonka, Hopkins and Richfield joined Carter and Frey on Tuesday in pushing for the repeal of the decades-old preemption law.

It’s unclear if they’ll have any success, as House and Senate Republicans have shown few signs of interest in changing gun laws.

The House is currently split 67-66 with Republicans at a one-seat advantage.

That likely will return to a 67-67 tie after a special election for former DFL House Speaker Melissa Hortman’s seat on Sept. 16.

No matter the outcome of that election, House DFLers will still need GOP votes to pass any bills.

On the Senate side, DFLers have 33 seats to Republicans’ 32 seats. Two special elections this November could change the balance of power or preserve the DFL’s one-seat majority. But right now, they still need 34 votes to pass any bills.

If all 33 DFL senators voted for an assault weapons ban or any other gun control legislation, they’d need one Republican to join them.

Surrounded by fellow metro mayors Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry speaks to the media during a press conference at the State Capitol Building in St. Paul on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Complicating matters

Further complicating matters for the Senate DFL is that at least one northern rural senator could be a holdout on gun bills. Rural district holdouts limited gun control legislation when the DFL had full control of state government in 2023 and 2024.

Sen. Grant Hauschild, who represents northeast Minnesota’s Arrowhead region, has voted for measures like extreme risk protection orders and universal background checks.

But he opposed a requirement to lock up guns and another bill that would require the reporting of stolen or lost guns in a timely manner.

Republican House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said last week’s news of Walz considering a special session had initially come as a surprise.

House Speaker Lisa Demuth (Courtesy photo)

In a Monday statement, the speaker said she had a conversation with Walz about his goals and noted that any proposals that come through the Legislature will need bipartisan support.

“If Governor Walz and Democrats are focused on partisan accusations and demands, this special session will not be productive for the people of Minnesota,” Demuth said.

Some Republicans have already signaled opposition to lifting the state preemption.

House Safety Committee Lead Paul Novotny, R-Elk River, said the law prevents a “confusing local patchwork of local rules” that would turn “law-abiding citizens into criminals simply for crossing a city or county line.”

“The Second Amendment does not change depending on your zip code, and every law-abiding Minnesotan deserves the same right to protect themselves and their family no matter what city or county they are currently in,” he said in a statement. “Constitutional freedoms shall not be infringed by a county or city government, and I trust the courts would agree.”

Local laws?

City leaders didn’t get into specifics on how local bans might take shape, though they shared a general idea of what they wanted.

Mayors called for an overall ban on the sale and possession of “assault style weapons,” which would include the AR-15 — a semiautomatic rifles with features like pistol grips and detachable magazines. Frey said magazine capacity would be limited to 10 bullets.

Minneapolis and St. Paul don’t have any stores that sell guns, so local bans in those cities would mainly affect people who already own semiautomatic rifles and larger magazines.

Asked if there would be anything that could stop someone from buying a gun in one municipality and bringing it to another, Minnetonka Mayor Brad Wiersum, whose city has a gun retailer, said doing nothing at all to regulate weapons would be a bigger cause for concern.

“If you take away opportunities to get guns, there will be fewer guns used,” he said. “Does it solve the problem? It does not. But does it reduce the problem? Does it mitigate the problem? Yes, it does.”

Recent setbacks for gun control advocates

A renewed push for gun restrictions comes amid recent setbacks for gun control advocates in Minnesota.

The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, a prominent state gun rights group, has successfully challenged multiple Minnesota gun laws.

In August, a Ramsey County Judge struck down a state law banning binary triggers — a modification that allows a semiautomatic weapon to fire both when the trigger is pulled and released, greatly increasing its rate of fire.

Judge Leonardo Castro said it couldn’t stand because DFL lawmakers inserted the ban into a 1,400-page bill in the final hours of the 2024 legislative session, violating the Minnesota Constitution’s Single Subject and Title Clause.

In another August ruling, the Minnesota Supreme Court said a decades-old law banning certain guns without serial numbers didn’t apply to homemade “ghost guns” as long as federal law doesn’t require a serial number.

And, earlier this year, Minnesota’s minimum age to obtain a permit to carry a firearm dropped from 21 to 18 after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up the state’s appeal in a case challenging the minimum age.

Related Articles

MN Capitol rally calls on lawmakers to ban assault rifles

Gov. Tim Walz plans special session on guns after Catholic school shooting

Molly Coleman is seated on the St. Paul City Council

Hemmingsen-Jaeger wins DFL primary for Nicole Mitchell seat in Woodbury

Stillwater lands 2026 MN Governor’s Fishing Opener

With a new school year underway, students and parents in St. Paul Public Schools will see a number of changes.

There are new district buildings, student cell phone use and high school career opportunities.

Here’s what families should know:

New construction

There are 37 construction projects happening in the district this year, but at least two major ones are completed for the fall semester.

A ribbon cutting will be held Sept. 25 for the remodeled Barack and Michelle Obama Montessori and Middle School and on Oct. 2 for the new Bruce Vento Elementary School.

The finished Obama Montessori and Middle School houses both the pre-kindergarten through 5th grade Montessori program that has been located at J.J. Hill Montessori, and a new 6th through 8th grade middle school.

Remodeled areas include a general learning space, gym, cafeteria, media center, art room and administration office. The middle and elementary schools are connected by shared spaces, such as the cafeteria and media center.

The Bruce Vento construction is the district’s first new building in a decade.

Construction of a new 160,000-square-foot building has been completed and it will continue to house pre-kindergarten to 5th grade students and now include an Early Childhood and Community Hub, which includes childhood programming and community services

Technology

St. Paul Public Schools adopted its district-wide cellphone policy earlier this year. It states that the use of personal electronic devices, such as cellphones and smartwatches, will not be permitted during school hours and such devices must be put away. High schools can have individualized plans, with some allowing cellphone use during non-instructional time.

The district also is providing 38,000 new iPads to students and staff.

Also new this year: parents can now track the status of their students’ school bus using a GPS tracking app. To learn more, go to: spps.org/families/transportation.

New programming, meals

The district’s Karen Language and Culture Program at Wellstone Elementary is going to expand from kindergarten to first grade and the East African Magnet School has added a seventh grade.

The East African Magnet School, which serves pre-kindergarten to seventh grade, is expected to add eighth grade in a year, said Jackie Turner, SPPS executive chief of administration and operations.

High school seniors will be able to earn credits toward an apprenticeship this year as part of a district partnership with the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 49. The one-year program includes a classroom portion on careers in equipment operation and time in a sandbox where students learn to operate heavy machinery.

In addition to new programming, the district also has new lunch and breakfast options this year.

New leadership

Eight St. Paul schools will have new principals this school year.

They are Amanda Herrera Gundale at Obama Middle School; Danielle Hughes at Benjamin E. Mays IB World School; Lesly Gamez at Global Arts Plus Upper Campus; Andrea Thiner at Harding Senior High School; Andrew Barter at L’Etoile du Nord French Immersion; Lauren Bolopue at Nokomis Montessori North; Phillip Hutcheson at St. Anthony Park Elementary; and Dr. Theresa Thao-Yang at Txuj Ci HMong Upper Campus.

And, Superintendent Stacie Stanley, who started last May, will be serving in her first full school year. Stanley, who grew up in St. Paul, previously was the superintendent for Edina Public Schools.

Related Articles

Police: Student, 14, found with gun as year starts at St. Paul high school

St. Paul offers to put cops outside every school for week after Minneapolis school shooting

Twin Cities mom wants to help you have ‘The Talk’ with your kids

Back to school: A roundup of east metro school cellphone policies

St. Paul Public Schools to host paraprofessional hiring event Thursday

Former Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen is facing more legal trouble after allegedly driving more than double the speed limit on Interstate 494 in Minnetonka late Friday.

Griffen, who is on probation for a DWI conviction, was pulled over in his 2020 Bentley Bentayga SUV by Minnetonka police on I-494 near Stone Road about 10:15 p.m. for allegedly going 130 mph in a 60 mph zone, court records show. The 37-year-old from Minnetrista was cited for misdemeanor reckless driving and speeding, a petty misdemeanor.

Griffen’s alleged risky behavior comes after he was arrested on a warrant July 19 for alleged probation violations in last year’s DWI case out of Hennepin County. Court documents allege he had failed to abstain from alcohol and substance use and did not comply with random drug testing.

Judge Gina Brandt on July 21 ordered Griffen to undergo an in-custody substance use assessment. Three days later, Brandt ordered Griffen to participate in a treatment program and undergo a mental health evaluation. He was released to his attorney David Valentini to be taken to treatment at the Retreat in Wayzata, according to court records.

Just days earlier, on July 16, Griffen was removed from a Delta Air Lines jet bound for Minneapolis from Chicago shortly after takeoff due to “unruly behavior,” a Delta spokesperson told TMZ Sports, which first reported the incident. A passenger told the media outlet it appeared as though Griffen was trying to smoke something in the bathroom, causing a confrontation with flight attendants. Once the plane landed, Griffen walked off the plane without incident.

Griffen shared on Instagram at the time: “I’m doing just fine. My behavior was not unruly at all. Why would they let me go[?],” according to Sports Illustrated.

Valentini did not immediately respond to a message left Tuesday seeking comment on Friday’s incident.

A review hearing in the DWI case is scheduled for Oct. 27.

Past trouble

The alleged offense is the latest in a string of troubles for Griffen.

In February 2023, he was put on probation for one year for a reckless driving conviction that stemmed from a DWI arrest in Chanhassen in July of that year.

About three months later, Griffen crashed his 2017 Mercedes-Benz into a car, then a fence and gazebo in Mound. He was convicted of failure to drive with due care, a petty misdemeanor.

Griffen was pulled over by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper at 11:35 p.m. May 28, 2024, for driving his Bentley at 82 mph on southbound I-35W near Lake Street. A passenger was in the front seat. A small vial with cocaine was found in his back pocket, and a breath test taken about an hour after the stop registered a 0.10 BAC, the charges said. The legal limit in Minnesota is 0.08.

In November, Griffen was given 60 days on electronic home monitoring and put on probation for four years for driving drunk on Interstate 35W in Minneapolis in May 2024. Judge Brandt followed a plea deal, staying a one-year workhouse sentence.

Griffen has struggled with mental health issues over the years.

Related Articles

Letters: St. Clair Avenue in St. Paul needs speed control and pedestrian protection

MN Capitol rally calls on lawmakers to ban assault rifles

‘A future filled with hope’: Minneapolis community unites to process the tragedy

St. Paul offers to put cops outside every school for week after Minneapolis school shooting

Gov. Tim Walz plans special session on guns after Catholic school shooting

He missed five games in 2018 because of a mental health situation, writing in an Instagram post that he is “bipolar” and will “be an advocate for mental health.”

He spent the 2020 season with the Cowboys and Lions, then rejoined the Vikings for what would be his final year. He was placed on the non-football illness list following an incident at his Minnetrista home on Nov. 24, 2021, in which he posted a since-deleted disturbing video on Instagram that showed him holding a handgun and expressing concern for his safety.

He had called 911 to report an intruder, though no one was found. Police and mental health officials worked for several hours to get Griffen to come out of his home before he was taken by ambulance to a mental health facility.

Griffen played 170 games over his career, finishing with 399 tackles, 85½ sacks, six fumble recoveries, two interceptions and three touchdowns.

A BB gun that a White Bear Lake teen brandished at last week’s Stillwater Area High School football game in Oak Park Heights “looked exactly like an actual” pistol, authorities said.

A group of students attending the game told a police officer around 8:15 p.m. Thursday that the boy had threatened them with a firearm, stating he was “gonna put a 9mm bullet in your skull” and told them to step outside the stadium, according to a juvenile petition.

He also allegedly said, “Don’t make me shoot your (expletive)” to a student who had made fun of his skinny jeans and pulled up his shirt to display the apparent pistol in his waistband, the petition stated.

Officers confronted the teen, who was standing in line to re-enter the stadium, and he ran into the stadium.

An officer “tackled him into a chain-link fence and onto the ground underneath the bleachers,” the petition said. “The (boy) landed on his back and reached towards the front of his waistband.” Two civilians helped officers control the teen until backup officers arrived.

The boy told officers he’s not a SAHS student and was at the game with his girlfriend, who attends the school. He said he ran “because he was scared of the police and knew he had the BB gun,” according to the petition. The BB gun’s magazine was empty.

The teen is charged with felony threats of violence, gross misdemeanor brandishing of a replica firearm or BB gun while on school property, and petty misdemeanor fleeing a peace officer by a means other than a motor vehicle.

The incident occurred a day after a shooter opened fire through the windows of Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, killing two children and wounding another 21 people celebrating Mass.

Related Articles

Arrest warrant issued for man charged in murder of St. Paul man

Police: Student, 14, found with gun as year starts at St. Paul high school

The 150-year-old law that governs military’s role in local law enforcement

Gérard Depardieu to face trial in Paris over rape and sexual assault allegations

Crash victims’ families prepare to make what could be their final plea for Boeing’s prosecution