Shortly after an armed assailant shot at Catholic school children and other worshipers in south Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the action of offering “thoughts and prayers” as a response to the shooting.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying. It was the first week of school, they were in a church,” Frey said about the shootings that killed two children and injured 17 others.
Jacob Frey, the Democrat Mayor of Minneapolis, slams people who are praying for the victims of the Catholic School Shooting:
"Don't just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying!" pic.twitter.com/CRDBLUs4Rw
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) August 27, 2025
Another DFLer, Rep. Brad Tabke, specifically criticized GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth for her call to “join me in praying for the children, families, and staff” at the school.
“When are you and the GOP going to stand up and help Democrats do something about guns, Speaker?!” said Tabke. “Our friends are dying and you do nothing but pray and obstruct. You have the power to help us do something about gun violence. Let’s work together and save lives.”
When are you and the GOP going to stand up and help Democrats do something about guns, Speaker?!
Our friends are dying and you do nothing but pray and obstruct. You have the power to help us do something about gun violence. Let’s work together and save lives. https://t.co/chk3kSmbRV
— Brad Tabke (@BradTabke) August 27, 2025
Other Democrats used the shooting, which was perpetrated by a man who identified as a woman, to blame firearms and talk about gun control.
Among them was DFL Sen. Erin Maye Quade who renewed her call for gun control laws, saying America is the “only country on earth where children regularly get shot in school and people are shot in their place of worship.”
Less than an hour after the shootings, Mayor Jacob Frey’s campaign manager said: “If these rifles aren’t the problem, then why does every a**hole choose them when they want to murder a bunch of kids or parishioners or shoppers or dancers?”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar called for “better laws” regulating “assault weapons,” saying they should be for the police and military, not “madmen like this person.”
Meanwhile, former Republican Congressman Jason Lewis, a Republican, was particularly pointed in his assessment of the situation.
“Minnesota is a product of its culture—whether epic riots, gang shootings; violence at the once-tranquil State Fair or today’s mass shooting aimed at Catholic children perpetrated by an evildoer seen as ‘marginalized’ by state politicians and institutions,” wrote Lewis.
Others such as Minnesota Republican Sen. Nathan Wesenberg said the shooting was part of a “mental health and cultural crisis, not a gun crisis.”
“We must demand a cultural shift: away from appeasing confusion and toward confronting the mental health crisis with honesty, courage, and truth,” said Wesenberg.
“We must also face the truth about gun control: it failed today, and it fails every day. Red flag laws did nothing to prevent this shooting,” he added. “The answer is not more gun control laws or legislation by unscrupulous politicians. Our nation must return to God.”
At a press conference on Wednesday, Frey appeared to acknowledge the transgender identify of the shooter without explicitly stating that the gunman was transgender.
“I have heard about a whole lot of hate that’s being directed at our trans community,” said Frey. “Anybody who is using this as an opportunity to villainize our trans community or any other community out there has lost their sense of common humanity.”
After a transgender shooter murdered Catholic school children, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was upset about “the hate being directed at our trans community.” pic.twitter.com/CK7eKHVcz2
— Alpha News (@AlphaNewsMN) August 27, 2025
“We should not be operating out of a place of hate for anyone. We should be operating from a place of love for our kids,” added the mayor.
Two children, ages 8 and 10, were killed in the shooting Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic Church and School. Another 17 people were injured; 14 of those were children. Police said the shooter took his own life.
Hank Long
Hank Long is a journalism and communications professional whose writing career includes coverage of the Minnesota legislature, city and county governments and the commercial real estate industry. Hank received his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, where he studied journalism, and his law degree at the University of St. Thomas. The Minnesota native lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and four children. His dream is to be around when the Vikings win the Super Bowl.
