Minn. Catholic Leaders Previously Warned
Catholic Leaders Warned of School Threats Before Deadly Shooting
Two years before a gunman opened fire at a Minneapolis Catholic school,
killing two and injuring 17, Catholic leaders had warned Governor Tim Walz that nonpublic schools were in “urgent and critical need” of security upgrades.
“Our schools are under attack,” they wrote in a 2023 letter.
The Letter and Concerns
Sent by Jason Adkins of the Minnesota Catholic Conference and Tim Benz of MINNDEPENDENT,
the letter cited the Nashville Covenant School shooting and rising threats against Jewish and Muslim schools.
“The tragedy from last week at Covenant School must never happen in Minnesota or in our country again,” it read.
Funding Dispute
The leaders criticized Minnesota’s $50 million safety programs for excluding private schools,
leaving 72,000 students without equal protection.
Governor’s Response
Walz’s office defended his record, saying “private schools do indeed receive state funding” and are eligible for safety training resources.
