By: James Heider

September 5, 2025

Minneapolis residents are in mourning after two separate incidents left three dead and about two dozen injured due to gun violence on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.

At approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, reports indicated that 30 rounds were fired near the intersection of 29th and Clinton, close to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School in South Minneapolis. Police reports state that a high-powered .223 rifle was used in the shooting. One person was confirmed dead, and six others were injured. Two suspects, Ryan Quinn and Tiffany Martindale, have been charged in connection with the incident. They claim they gave a ride to a man known only as “Bino.” According to Ryan and Tiffany, Bino asked them to pull over. He then exited the car wearing a mask and carrying a rifle, and proceeded to shoot into a crowd outside the high school. After the shooting, Bino got back into the car. Ryan and Tiffany allegedly dropped him off at a residence in North Minneapolis before returning to an address in Inver Grove Heights. Both have been charged with aiding and abetting a crime. Bino remains at large.

Early Wednesday morning, another tragedy unfolded at Annunciation Catholic School on West 54th Street. Robin Westman opened fire through the church windows while students were attending their weekly mass. Westman killed two people and injured 17 before taking her own life behind the building. Her motives remain unclear, as information is still being released. Westman’s mother previously worked at the school, and Robin grew up in the neighboring town of Richfield.

The question now, after every senseless act of gun violence in this country, is: Will anything change? Will this finally be the moment that compels our politicians to pass meaningful gun reform?

Personally, I think the chances are slim. Gun control has long been a hotly debated issue in the United States. Both sides of the political spectrum hold strong views. Bills have been proposed and rejected repeatedly. In 2022, for the first time in nearly three decades, both parties agreed on a gun control bill: the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This legislation allocated $750 million to states for implementing “red flag” laws, which allow authorities to remove firearms from individuals deemed unfit to possess them. It also funded violence prevention programs, school security initiatives, and mental health services. Additionally, it mandated more thorough background checks for gun buyers under the age of 21.

While this was a step in the right direction, many believe it is not enough. As of September 2025, there have been 309 mass shootings in the U.S., resulting in 302 deaths and 1,354 injuries.

Many liberals continue to call for a full ban on assault rifles. These weapons were used in both Minneapolis shootings last week. But with Republicans currently controlling both the House and Senate, it is unlikely that any new gun control legislation will pass.

Regardless of political stance, we must come together in this time of turmoil in the Twin Cities.