JD Vance faces cries of ‘protect our kids’ as he visits Minneapolis to pay respects to shooting victims

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Vice President JD Vance faced protests calling for stricter gun laws during his visit to the Annunciation Catholic Church, where two children were killed and more than 20 others were wounded in a mass shooting last week.

The Republican and his wife, Usha Vance, traveled to the site of the tragedy on Wednesday, September 3, to meet grieving families and lay flowers at a memorial, but their arrival was met with chants from demonstrators demanding bans on assault weapons and other reforms.

Protestors call for action as JD Vance visits church shooting site

Dozens of residents and victims’ relatives lined the streets outside the parish, holding signs and shouting as the Vances entered the church.

Videos captured people yelling “Protect our kids” and “Do better,” while others waved placards reading, “This is your job. PROTECT OUR KIDS.”

One sign referenced recent papal comments: “Listen to the Pope, End the Pandemic of Arms.” Critics also questioned how Vance’s pro-life stance aligned with his opposition to new restrictions on firearms. “My son lost his best friend in the world because these politicians won’t do anything,” said Kacie Sharpe, whose eight-year-old son was close to victim Fletcher Merkel.

Inside the church, Vance met privately with the parents of Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, the two children killed in the attack. He also spoke with the pastor and school principal before visiting 12-year-old survivor Lydia Kaiser at Children’s Minnesota hospital.

“I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did,” the 41-year-old told reporters after leaving the memorial. 

He further added, "These parents — in the midst of the worst grief of their entire lives — they opened up their lives. They opened up their hearts."

JD Vance sidesteps questions on Minnesota gun control push

Despite the heated protests, JD Vance refrained from taking a position on Democratic Governor Tim Walz’s plan to call a special session for an assault weapons ban. “Look, I’m not going to tell the Minnesota lawmakers or the governor exactly how they should respond to this tragedy,” he said.

The shooting was carried out by 23-year-old Robin Westman, who fired a legally purchased rifle, shotgun, and handgun through church windows as children sat in pews for a school mass. Westman later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

In Washington, President Donald Trump revisited his long-standing proposal to arm select teachers. “If you took a small percentage of those teachers that were in the military, that were distinguished in the military, that were in the National Guard, etc., and you let them carry, that’s something that a lot of people like. I sort of liked it,” he said.