>> Eric: FAITH LEADERS GATHERED AT THE CAPITOL TODAY, AND STUDENTS WALKED OUT OF SCHOOLS, ALL URGING ACTION AFTER A SCHOOL SHOOTING IN A CHURCH.

POLITICAL REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER PREVIEWS HOW LEGISLATURE COULD CONVENE AS SOON AS THE GOVERNOR CALLS THEM BACK INTO SESSION.

>> I CAN CALL A SPECIAL SESSION.

I CAN'T RUN A SPECIAL SESSION.

AND TO BE VERY CANDID, JUST IN A VERY EVENLY DIVIDED, I'M GOING TO NEED SOME REPUBLICANS TO BREAK WITH THE ORTHODOXY AND SAY THAT WE NEED TO DO SOMETHING ON GUNS.

>> Mary: GOVERNOR WALZ INTENDED TO CALL A SPECIAL SESSION FOR GUN CONTROL LEGISLATION FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING AT ANNUNCIATION SCHOOL AND CHURCH.

>> TO OUR LAWMAKERS AND PEOPLE IN POWER, WHO THE HELL IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING?

WHO'S GOING TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CHANGE AND TAKE TANGIBLE STEPS TO BREAK THE CYCLE?

THIS MOMENT AND THIS OPPORTUNITY WILL DEFINE YOUR CHARACTER.

ARE YOU COURAGEOUS, OR ARE YOU A COWARD?

>> A BAN ON ASSAULT WEAPONS I THINK IT DEPENDS ON HOW THEY DEFINE IT OF COURSE BUT GENERALLY IT'S A SEMIAUTOMATIC RIFLE THAT'S BEEN DESIGNED IN THE LAST 050 YEARS OR SO.

THEY'RE USED BY THOUSANDS OF MINNESOTANS FOR HUNTING, TARGET SHOOTING, SPORT SHOOTING, RECREATION.

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SEE A BAN GO INTO PLACE.

>> Mary: AT THE CAPITOL, URBAN AND SUBURBAN MAYORS MADE THEIR INTENTIONS CLEAR AFTER ANOTHER TRAGEDY.

AT THE WANT THE ABILITY TO LIMIT GUNS IN THEIR MUNICIPALITIES.

>> GIVE US THE ABILITY TO KEEP OUR CONSTITUENTS SAFE.

>> THE EMERGENCY STARTED WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE LIVE IN A COUNTRY IN WHICH HE NUMBER ONE CAUSE OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN IS GUNFIRE.

>> WEAPONS OF WAR ARE IN THE HANDS OF PEOPLE WHO SHOULD NEVER, EVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THEM.

>> IF YOU TAKE AWAY OPPORTUNITIES TO GET GUNS, THERE WILL BE FEWER GUNS USED.

DOES IT SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

IT DOES NOT.

BUT DOES IT REDUCE THE PROBLEM?

DOES IT MITIGATE HE PROBLEM?

YES, IT DOES.

>> Mary: MINNETONKA AND STILLWATER HAVE DIVIDED LEGISLATIVE DELEGATIONS, INCLUDING REPUBLICAN SENATOR KARIN HOUSELY.

>> I'M OPTIMISTIC AND I'M HOPEFUL THAT SHE CAN BE A LEADER ON HER SIDE OF THE AISLE.

>> THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE BLE TO AGREE ON THAT OULD GAIN 201 VOTES I THINK.

INVESTING IN MENTAL HEALTH ACCESS.

>> Mary: BACK IN THE D.F.L.

TRIINTEGRITY TRIINTEGTRIFECTA, DEMOCRATS PASA SERIES OF GUN CONTROL MEASURES INCLUDING A RED FLAG LAW THAT WOULD TAKE FIREARMS AWAY FROM INDIVIDUALS DEEMED TO BE DANGER TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.

>> WE ENACTED UNIVERSAL BACKGROUND CHECKS AND RED FLAG LAWS AND THOSE TWO BILLS ARE SAVING LIVES TODAY.

>> Mary: BUT REPUBLICANS CURRENTLY CONTROL THE HOUSE AND THEY WANT SCHOOL SAFETY FUNDING FOR RIVATE SCHOOLS AND MORE MONEY FOR MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT, NOT MORE GUN CONTROL.

DFL LEADERS SAY NOW IS THE TIME TO BAN ASSAULT RIFLES.

>> WE HAVE TO TAKE THE VOTE.

WE NEED TO ACT ON THE WISHES OF MINNESOTANS.

AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR KIDS.

ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

>> Mary: AND WHAT ABOUT IN THESE MASS SHIETINGS AS PEOPLE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, THAT THESE HIGH CAPACITY, BEING ABLE TO SHOOT THAT MANY TIMES, BEING ABLE TO TAKE DOWN THAT MANY PEOPLE, HOW DO YOU DEFEND ACCESS TO THAT KIND OF WEAPON?

>> RESEARCH SHOWS ASSAULT WEAPONS ARE USED ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME.

SO THEY'RE NOT THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME, BUT THEY DO TEND TO CAPTURE A LOT OF OUR ATTENTION.

I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS INDIVIDUAL IN THE CHURCH SHOOTING HAD A SHOTGUN AND TWO PISTOLS WITH THEM AS WELL.

SO PEEFN IF THERE WAS SOME SORT OF AN ASSAULT WELL BAN, IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT IT WOULD HAVE ACTUALLY PREVENTED THE ATTACK.

>> Mary: WITH PROTESTERS NEARBY, VICE PRESIDENT J.D.

VANCE -- >> HIS DAD FOR THE FIRST TIME REVISITED THE CHAPEL WITH ME, AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME HE'D BEEN IN THE CHAPEL.

WE SHOULD TALK MORE ABOUT THESE KIDS.

WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT LESS ABOUT THIS SHOOTER.

WE SHOULD TALK LESS ABOUT THE CRAZE EYE PERSON WHO TOOK THESE CHILDREN FROM US.

>> Mary: CONGRESSWOMAN ILHAN OMAR LED A MOMENT OF SILENCE IN D.C. MOMS DEMAND ACTION -- >> LAWMAKERS AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS REFUSE TO DO THE ONE THING THAT COULD STOP THIS.

BAN ASSAULT WEAPONS, AND HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES.

[ Applause ] >> I KNOW FROM MY 25 YEARS OF PRACTICING PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE THAT WHEN YOU HAVE SEEN A SMALL BODY THAT HAS BEEN MUTILATED BY BULLETS, YOU DO NOT EASILY OR EVER GET OVER THAT.

>> WHO WILL IT BE TOMORROW?

HOW WILL WE EXPLAIN TO THEM, WE DID NOTHING TO SAVE THEM?

WE CANNOT SHIELD OUR CHILDREN WITH OUR EYES CLOSED AND HANDS BEHIND OUR BACKS.

>> OUR COMMUNITY IS SHAKE >> OUR COMMUNITY IS SHA SHAKEN D HEARTBROKEN.

LOSING TWO KIDS, 17 INJURED KIDS AND PA RELATIONSHIPPORS -- PA RELATIONSHIP ENTERS AND A WHOLE COMMUNITY WHO THIS TRAGEDY HAS REVERK RATED OUT.

>> IN TWO AND A HALF YEARS IN THIS JOB, I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT I HAVE STOOD IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE SAYING THAT I'M STANDING HERE ANGRY AND HEARTBROKEN AND I AM JUST SICK OF IT, YET AGAIN OUR CHILDREN AND OUR PARENTS AND OUR TEACHERS AND OUR COMMUNITY TEAS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LIVE THROUGH A NIGHTMARE.

>> ASSAULT WEAPONS ARE WEAPONS OF WAR.

THEY ARE DESIGNED FOR THE BATTLE GROUND.

THEY DON'T BELONG IN OUR SCHOOLS.

IN OUR CHURCHES.

IN OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND YET HERE WE ARE.

AGAIN.

BECAUSE POLITICIANS WOULD RATHER PROTECT THE GUN