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Straw purchases for guns are already a felony under federal law, but Minnesota lawmakers are expressing the need to do the same under state law following the recent fatal shooting of three first responders in a Twin Cities suburb. (Adobe Stock)

Tragedy has MN lawmakers focused on straw purchases for guns

Minnesota lawmakers return this week following an Easter break. They're expected to resume talks on a gun-safety proposal seeing renewed urgency…

On the heels of last year's legislative session, Minnesota is implementing a range of new laws in 2024, including the expansion of earned sick time and access to free menstrual products in schools. (Adobe Stock)

New MN laws cover renters, extreme-risk protections involving gun owners

With 2024 now underway, a flurry of new Minnesota laws are in effect. Renters facing obstacles with their landlords have new protections, and there …

In its most recent year of data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says more than 4,000 American children were killed by guns. (Adobe Stock)

Giving MN Kids a Voice on Addressing Gun Violence

Minnesota children are in summer vacation mode, but some are taking time to call attention to how they and their peers have been affected by gun …

As the nation grapples with mass shooting events around the country, statehouses are under pressure to adopt gun restrictions with such laws unlikely to pass a divided Congress. (Adobe Stock)

Evidence Touted as MN Moves to Adopt Gun-Safety Laws

Minnesota appears to be on the verge of adopting new gun-safety laws. Some of the common talking points have come up in debate, but groups demanding …

According to state data, twice as many children in Minnesota died from gunshots than from cancer in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

MN Pediatricians, Coalition Demand Action on Gun-Violence Prevention

Recent mass shootings in Louisville and Nashville add to the list of tragedies that gun-safety advocates say should compel preventive action…

Minnesota recorded 570 gun-related deaths last year, and a majority of them were listed as suicides. That's promoted calls for increased education about the safe storage of firearms. (Adobe Stock)

MN Report Amplifies Concerns About Guns, Suicide Link

For the second year in a row, suicides represent nearly 70% of all gun deaths in Minnesota. Those working to stop gun violence hope the new data …

Community Peace Builders and their mentor are beginning to carry out de-escalation and relationship building efforts in North Minneapolis. (Photo courtesy of EMERGE)

Community Peace Builders Instill Hope in Minneapolis

The summer season and violent crime can fuel narratives by the public and the media about safety in urban settings. But in Minnesota's largest city…

A new student-led effort in Minneapolis, supported by the CDC's Preventing Violence Affecting Young Lives grants, is one of eight projects around the country to receive funding. (Adpbe Stock)

Student Peace Advisory Group Takes Flight in MN

Students may be settled into their summer break - but in Minnesota, some remain focused on setting a peaceful tone ahead of their return to school …

Surveys show a third of households with children have a gun, and nearly half of gun-owning households with children do not store all of their firearms safely. (Adobe Stock)

'Public Health Emergency': Protecting Youth from Gun Violence

Congress continues to debate possible changes to the nation's gun laws after the recent school shooting in Texas. In the meantime, efforts move …

Following the Uvalde tragedy, supporters of tighter gun laws say Congress can't fail to act as it did after the Sandy Hook shooting a decade ago. (Adobe Stock)

MN Cities Part of Rallies Calling for End to Gun Violence

As policymakers debate gun-control laws in light of the latest mass shootings in the U.S., a youth-led organization is planning weekend …

Instead of arming teachers, young labor leaders in Minnesota say fostering a more welcoming environments in schools with adequate support staff can help with creating safe buildings and campuses. (Adobe Stock)

Uvalde Tragedy Spurs Calls for Collective Action on Safe Workplaces

The recent mass shootings in Texas and New York intersect with the organized labor movement among younger workers. Some in Minnesota say a safer …

In recent years, Minnesota has seen anywhere between 400 and 500 gun-related deaths annually. (Adobe Stock)

Retooling MN Gun-Violence Prevention for 2022

Gun-violence prevention in Minnesota is likely to see some different approaches in 2022. That's according to a statewide group, which says one …

Ayolanda Evans Mack of the group Protect Minnesota is at the helm of a new documentary about what it would take to rid a community of gun violence. (Black Light Media)

New MN Film Tries to Bring Context to Gun-Violence Debate

MINNEAPOLIS - Cities such as Minneapolis are getting attention over waves of gun violence in recent months. A statewide group hopes a new documentary …

In the aftermath of George Floyd's death, communities experiment with different ways to promote public safety. (Chad Davis/Wikimedia Commons)

Special YES!/PNS Report - George Floyd Anniversary & Reimagining Public Safety

Atlanta-based journalist Anoa Changa and Laura Rosbrow-Telem out of Oakland, CA reported and produced this special report with YES! Magazine and …

Prior to this month's health clinic shooting, Minnesota lawmakers debated certain gun control measures, yet partisan divides have blocked bills from advancing. (Pixabay)

MN Clinic Shooting Leads to Renewed Calls for Gun Control

BUFFALO, Minn. -- Demands for tougher gun laws are again growing louder after last week's deadly shooting at a Minnesota health clinic. A key …

Minnesota's Capitol building has seen a beefed-up security presence following last year's civil unrest and this year's political tension. Members of a safety committee say some measures need to be permanent. (Adobe Stock)

MN State Workers Call for Safer Conditions Amid Political Tension

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A Minnesota committee is holding hearings on how to improve safety at the state capitol complex in St. Paul. It follows January's …

A 2018 report by the FBI found that of 63 active shooter assailants, only 25% had been diagnosed with a mental illness, and only three with a psychotic disorder. (avi_acl/pixabay)

Gun Violence, Mental Health: A Tenuous Link

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The holiday weekend brought another mass shooting to Texas, the second in less than a month. But one psychiatrist who studies …

Twenty states now have tougher gun laws, with nine legislative bills signed into law by Republican governors. (act.everytown.org)

Minnesotans Join 'National Gun Violence Awareness Day'

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Every day, at least 100 Americans die from gun violence, but advocates for tougher gun laws say they're making slow but …

Despite survey results that fear of a school shooting is the top concern for school-aged students and parents, Minnesota lawmakers passed no new gun-control legislation in 2018. (Tim Nelson for mpr.org)

Top Concerns for MN Kids, Parents: School Shootings and Bullying

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The top three worries of Minnesota kids and their parents as they head to school each morning are bullying, a possible school …

Gun control student activists on the Road to Change

Student Gun Control Bus Tour Arrives in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Led by survivors of the deadly school shooting in Florida in February, students on a Road to Change bus tour are in Minnesota …

About 500,000 people, including many students from Minnesota, participated in Saturday's March For Our Lives. (Vuvanhahung/Flickr)

Thousands of MN Students Protest Gun Violence

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Advocates for tougher gun control made their voices heard loud and clear this weekend when tens of thousands gathered across …

AR-15s were used in mass shootings in Newtown, San Bernardino, Las Vegas and Parkland. (Jonathan James/Flickr)

Long-Planned Gun Control Rally Takes on New Urgency

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota legislative session is beginning with an emphasis on gun control. The mass shooting at a high school in …

More than half of the intimate-partner homicides in Minnesota in the past decade have involved guns. (morguefile)

Report: Minnesota Ranks Low on Gun Violence List

MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota ranks 43rd, near the bottom, in a new report that lists where each state stands in terms of gun violence. However, that still …

Some Minnesotans will take part in National Gun Violence Awareness Day to honor those who've died from gun violence. (Morguefile)

Minnesotans Wearing Orange to Honor Gun Violence Victims

ST. PAUL, Minn. – As gun related violence rises in some parts of Minnesota, local gun control advocates are wearing orange today to bring …

A Minnesota Senate committee hears from the public today about a bill to require universal background checks for gun purchases in the state. (iStockphoto)

MN Moms Support Stronger Background Checks for Gun Buyers

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Legislation to strengthen background checks for gun buyers in Minnesota gets a public hearing today in the Senate Judiciary …

PHOTO: U.S. Rep. Tim Walz of Minnesota authored the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act, with a goal of reducing the suicide rate among U.S. military veterans. Photo courtesy of Rep. Walz office.

Poised for Passage: Veterans Suicide Prevention Act

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The U.S. Senate is expected to approve legislation this afternoon that seeks to prevent suicide among military veterans …

PHOTO: The fourth annual Remembrance of Life is this Sunday as Minnesotans who have lost loved ones to gun violence will gather for support and to share photos and memories. Photo collage courtesy of Protect Minnesota.

Remembering Lives Lost in Minnesota to Gun Violence

MINNEAPOLIS - Family and friends of loved ones lost to gun violence in the state, along with their supporters, will gather this weekend to honor and …

PHOTO: A memorial service will be held in Duluth today to honor the 26 victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. nearly two years ago. Photo credit: Neil Wilkie/Flickr.

Victims of Sandy Hook Remembered in Minnesota Today

DULUTH, Minn. – This Sunday marks the second anniversary of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., and the …

PHOTO: Minnesota leaders in law enforcement, gun safety and domestic violence prevention gathered Monday for a roundtable with former Arizona U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords. Photo credit: Bill Morrow/Flickr.

Gabby Giffords in Minnesota: "Women's Lives are at Stake"

MINNEAPOLIS - Former U.S. congresswoman and mass shooting survivor Gabby Giffords was in Minnesota on Monday, touting the need for stronger laws to …

PHOTO: James Brady became a leading figure in efforts to reduce gun violence after he was shot in the head in the 1981 assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan. Photo credit: Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

James Brady, Gun Control Advocate and Reagan Press Secretary, Dies at 73

ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesotans are remembering James Brady, the former White House press secretary who became a key figure in the fight for gun …

PHOTO: Legislation that would make Minnesotans convicted of domestic or child abuse surrender their guns has cleared the state Senate by a vote of 60-4. The bill was earlier passed in the House and now goes to Gov. Mark Dayton for his signature. Photo credit: Eric Fought/Protect Minnesota

Bill to Ban Gun Possession by Abusers Passes Legislature

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A bill to remove guns from the hands of those convicted of domestic abuse or child abuse is headed to Gov. Mark Dayton for his …

PHOTO: A hearing is expected today on a bill (HF 3228) that aims to close a loophole that allows domestic abusers in Minnesota to posses rifles and shotguns. Photo credit: dualdflipflop

Bill Would Make MN Domestic Abusers Give Up All Their Guns

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It is the most dangerous time for an abused woman: when she's leaving and he's losing control. So a bill being debated at the state …

PHOTO: It was on this day in 1994 that the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act took effect. Photo credit: Josh Berglund

Minnesota Lawmakers Again Pushed to Work on Gun Violence Prevention

ST. PAUL, Minn. - It's a landmark 20th anniversary today for those across the state and nation who are working to prevent gun violence. The Brady …

PHOTO: A ceremony is planned for Sunday (Jan. 12), where Minnesotans who have lost loved ones to gun violence, and their supporters, can help others with similar experiences and share memories. Photo credit: Ariane Middel

Remembering Minnesota Lives Lost to Gun Violence

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Minnesotans who have lost loved ones to gun violence will gather this weekend for the third annual Remembrance of Life…

PHOTO: In Minnesota, there are nearly 700 people who take their own lives annually, about half with firearms. CREDIT: MilitaryHealth

Suicide Rates Dip Over Holidays, but Back to Normal in New Year

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The stress, anxiety and lack of sun that comes every year at this time in Minnesota can drag a lot of people down, but the …

PHOTO: Saturday marks the one-year anniversary of the massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary and the 26 victims are being remembered with a number of ceremonies nationally and statewide. CREDIT: US Embassy Canada

Minnesota Remembers Sandy Hook Massacre One Year Later

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota is remembering the victims of the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, one year ago on …

PHOTO: The Minnesota Department of Health is urging folks to take action when a friend, family or neighbor hints that they want to harm themselves. The suicide rate in Minnesota has reached its highest point since the early 1990s. Photo credit: epSos.de

Suicide Rate in Minnesota Highest In a Decade

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The suicide rate in Minnesota has reached its highest point in a decade. According to Melissa Heinen, suicide prevention specialist …

PHOTO: Those working to reduce gun violence say they will continue their push for universal background checks on gun sales. CREDIT: M Glasgow

Drive to Reduce Gun Violence Arrives in Minnesota

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The national drive to end gun violence makes its way to Minnesota today, with a stop by the "No More Names" bus. The bus began its …

PHOTO: A remembrance is planned for today (Friday) in Duluth, the sixth month anniversary of the shooting rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut. CREDIT: Claudia Sims Photography

Minnesotans Mark Sixth Months Since Sandy Hook

DULUTH, Minn. – It was six months ago today when a mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, left 26 people dead…

PHOTO: It made it through committee, but a bill to require background checks by unlicensed dealers at gun shows in Minnesota has still not been scheduled for a vote on the House floor. CREDIT: M. Glasgow

Will House Schedule Vote to Expand Background Checks at Gun Shows?

ST. PAUL, Minn. - With advocates for gun safety pushing for a vote in the Minnesota House, a statewide outdoors and conservation group is the latest …

PHOTO: A showdown is looming at the State Capitol over competing proposals to tighten Minnesota's gun laws, with universal background checks in one bill but not the other. Photo credit: www.CGPGrey.com

Vast Majority in MN Support Universal Background Checks for Guns

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A new proposal to tighten Minnesota's gun laws is being shot down by critics who say it doesn't go far enough in addressing the …

PHOTO: President Obama will make a stop in Minneapolis this afternoon to talk to local leaders and law enforcement about ways to reduce gun violence.

President Visits Minnesota to Talk Gun Safety

MINNEAPOLIS - The issue of firearms safety takes center stage in Minnesota today as President Obama visits to discuss his ideas to reduce violence inv…

PHOTO: Heather Martens with Protect Minnesota says the gun safety package announced by President Obama on Wednesday is common sense and reasonable. CREDIT: Dennis Drenner

MN Group Calls President's Gun Safety Proposals "Common Sense"

ST. PAUL, Minn. - President Obama has unveiled a plan aimed at curbing gun violence in America. The package of legislation for Congress includes a …

Gun Show Question Stirs Controversy at MN State Fair

ST. PAUL, Minn. - As the Minnesota State Fair wound to a close with Labor Day, debate on gun control measures started heating up again. At issue is a …

Supreme Court Shoots Down Gun Ban: The MN Reaction

DULUTH, Minn. - This week, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a narrow 5-4 ruling that overturned Chicago's 28-year-old handgun ban, citing the Second …

Gun Violence Touches Many Lives in Minnesota

DULUTH, Minn. - The Crime Victims/Criminal Records Division, a committee of the Minnesota State House, has voted to reject a bill meant to close a …

Bill Aims to Close MN Gun Show Loophole

ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Minnesota House may soon decide whether to close what some call a "loophole" for gun sales at gun shows. A newly-introduced …

Virginia Tech Survivor's Under Cover Video in MN Sparks Debate

ST. PAUL, Minn. - A video made by a survivor of the Virginia Tech mass shooting is sparking debate on how easy it is to buy a gun in Minnesota…

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MN: Gun Violence Prevention