Renewed Scrutiny on Actions Taken by Tim Walz and State's Lt. Gov. in Light of Minnesota Mass Shooting

Details continue to emerge surrounding the mass shooting that took place in Minnesota on Wednesday morning during mass at Annunciation Catholic School, a K-8 learning facility in Minneapolis.

As RedState reported, an 8-year-old child and a 10-year-old child were murdered by shots coming through church windows as they prayed. 14 other children and three elderly parishioners were injured during the shooting. They are expected to be okay.

The shooter, 23-year-old Robin Westman, previously known as Robert Westman, reportedly took his own life in the aftermath. Local reports also indicate that Westman attended the school and graduated from Annunciation in 2017, and that his mother worked at the school and retired from it in 2021.

Predictably, the left and some in the mainstream media have rushed to blame Republicans for the horrific act of violence, with some proclaiming "thoughts and prayers" aren't enough and suggesting without evidence that GOP support for the Second Amendment was getting innocent people hurt and killed.

At the same time, however, there has also been renewed attention on actions taken by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) and the state's Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D) in light of the mass shooting.

For instance, in 2023, Walz effectively made Minnesota a "trans care refuge state" in response to laws being enacted in other states that essentially outlawed so-called "gender affirming care" for minors:

Specifically, the law prohibits the enforcement of a court order for removal of a child or enforcement of another state’s law being applied in a pending child protection action in Minnesota, when the law of another state allows the child to be removed from the parent or guardian for receiving medically necessary health care or mental health care that respects the gender-identity of the patient. The law gives Minnesota courts jurisdiction in most situations where a child is present in Minnesota for the purpose of obtaining gender-affirming care.
A Minnesota judge is prohibited from issuing a warrant for the arrest of a person – or a law enforcement officer from arresting a person – charged in another state for a crime arising from acts committed in Minnesota involving gender-affirming health care.

Gov Walz signs bill providing legal protections for transgender children seeking gender-affirming healthcare in Minnesota, their families, and providers, aka the “Trans Refuge Bill” pic.twitter.com/spvJnuYXWV
— John Croman (@JohnCroman) April 27, 2023

Prior to the bill's passage, Walz "quickly signed an executive order to put some protections in place in case the bill didn't get through the legislature."

Flanagan wore this t-shirt to the "refuge" bill signing ceremony:

Remember—Minnesota @LtGovFlanagan proudly wears this shirt featuring a knife for people who don't believe in mutilating kids (e.g. conservatives, Christians). https://t.co/yNPFAiKThp pic.twitter.com/M2UzsyVITI
— Cody Sargent (@codydsargent) August 27, 2025

An image taken from a video Westman allegedly posted to YouTube shows what is presumably one of his hands holding a knife with the tip pointed at a sketch on the inside of the church, complete with rows of pews.

Robin Westman, the alleged Minneapolis shooter, posted a video that included him stabbing his hand-drawn floor plan of the church with a knife. This is what happens when people are encouraged to embrace and foster dangerous delusions. pic.twitter.com/bRQi8Wc0Bh
— Parrish Miller (@Parrish_Miller) August 27, 2025

He then takes a stab at it:

LEFT: Minnesota Democrat Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan in "Protect Trans Kids" shirt featuring a knife

RIGHT: Minnesota transsexual and mass shooting suspect Robin Westman stabs his drawing of Annunciation Catholic School with a knife. pic.twitter.com/Zw1CNo57Lv
— Steven Greenstreet 🐷 (@MiddleOfMayhem) August 27, 2025

Ultimately, it is the perpetrators who are responsible for their actions. But when you see things like this, it does make you wish public officials were more responsible in the things they say and would put more thought into the stances that they take rather than just go along with woke mobs because it seems like the cool and politically expedient thing to do.