Esme Murphy, a reporter and Sunday morning anchor for WCCO-TV, has been a member of the WCCO-TV staff since December 1990. She is also a weekend talk show host on WCCO Radio. Born and raised in New York City, Esme ventured into reporting after graduating from Harvard University.
The shooting of Charlie Kirk is the latest in a series of violent shocks that have left the nation reeling. With Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz set to call a special session to deal with gun violence, the debate over security for public officials intensifies.
Even before Kirk's death, Walz had announced he would call a special session of the Minnesota legislature to deal with gun violence.
In June, Minnesota witnessed the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their own home, the near-fatal attack on Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, and on Aug. 27 the deadly shooting at Annunciation.
Rep. Zack Stephenson, of Coon Rapids, was chosen by Minnesota House Democrats to replace Hortman as their leader. He was a close friend and pallbearer for Hortman.
"I think if folks are listening to the families of the victims, if they're listening to their communities, if they're listening to the state, then we'll see meaningful action to decrease gun violence in Minnesota, because regular Minnesotans are demanding that," Stephenson said.
Privately, legislators tell WCCO the votes for any kind of weapons or ammunition bans are not there. Republicans are pushing for more money for school resource officers and mental health beds.
"House Republicans are committed to making sure that we are keeping our schools and our communities safe. And that is a very broad way of looking at that and getting at the actual foundational root issues that cause someone to act out in such a horrendous way," GOP House Speaker Lisa Demuth said. "I voted for that bill in 2019 and 2020 and '21 and '22 before we finally were able to pass it in 2023."
Some Democrats, including the governor, are pushing a beefed-up red flag law with emphasis on education. According to Minnesota court records, in 2024, there were 135 extreme risk protection orders filed in the state: 71% by law enforcement and 16% by family members. Ninety-five percent of them were granted.
"It is a law that is working, that's saving lives today," Stephenson said.
Critics point out that the existing red flag law didn't work in the attacks on Minnesota lawmakers and the attack at Annunciation.
Improving the red flag law, as well as tougher gun storage laws, may be areas for common ground.
An announcement on a special session is not expected until after the special election to fill Hortman's seat.