Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated state law enforcement personnel to help support Minneapolis police following Wednesday's mass shooting at Annunciation Church.
The move by Walz follows a request from the City of Minneapolis.
“Students deserve to start the school year full of hope, excitement, maybe a little apprehension about what the year may bring,” said Governor Walz. “No child in America should go to school apprehensive of danger, of losing a classmate, of gunshots during prayer."
14 state troopers and six Department of Natural Resources enforcement officers will be organized into two-person squads. Each of the city's five precincts will get two squads that will coordinate with the MPD and focus primarily on schools and places of worship.
“Our presence is about more than patrols — it’s about letting the people of Minneapolis know they are not alone. Together with our law enforcement partners in Minneapolis, we’re committed to protecting our neighborhoods and supporting the community,” said State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also is helping the Minneapolis Police Department with its investigation of the church shooting and other violent crime investigations.
“The loss Minneapolis is experiencing right now is felt across our entire state," said Minnesota Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. "No one should feel unsafe in their own neighborhood, at school or in their place of worship. By coming together, local and state law enforcement are sending a clear message: The people of Minneapolis are not alone. We are here to protect the places where you live, learn, and gather."
A shooter opened fire during Mass at a Minneapolis Catholic school on Wednesday, killing two children and injuring 17 other people. Seventeen others, including 14 children, were injured in the shooting at Annunciation Catholic School.
All 17 are expected to survive. Authorities say the 23-year-old shooter fired dozens of rounds through the church windows before dying by suicide.