JD Vance was met with dozens of protestors Wednesday calling for gun reforms during his visit to the site of last week’s school shooting in Minneapolis.
The vice president and his wife, Usha, visited the Annunciation Catholic Church one week after a shooter opened fire on students in the pews, killing two children and injuring 21 others.
As the Vances arrived at the church, some of the students’ family members and local residents greeted them with signs calling for bans on assault weapons, the Associated Press reported.
One video captured protestors yelling, “Protect our kids,” and “Do better!” while Vance and Usha walk into the church.
Another video shows a group of people lining the street, waving signs and flipping the bird as the Vances’ motorcade races by.
“Listen to the Pope, End the Pandemic of Arms,” one person’s sign urged, referring to comments Pope Leo made Sunday. Other signs questioned how Vance could reconcile his pro-life stance with his reluctance to back tighter gun restrictions.
“This is a political problem, like something has to be done,” said Kacie Sharpe, whose 8-year-old son considered one of the victims, Fletcher Merkel, 8, his best friend. “My son lost his lost his best friend in the world because these politicians won’t do anything.”
Her sign read, “This is your job. PROTECT OUR KIDS.”
The Daily Beast has reached out to Vance’s office for comment.
Vance, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, met privately with family members of victims—including the parents of Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski, both of whom were killed—as well as the pastor of the parish and the school principal, according to his office.
The Vances laid bouquets at a memorial outside the church and also visited 12-year-old shooting victim Lydia Kaiser at the Children’s Minnesota hospital, CBS News reported.
“I have never had a day that will stay with me like this day did,” Vance told reporters.
However, he sidestepped questions on Democratic Gov. Tim Walz’s intention to call a special session of the legislature to vote on new gun control measures, including an assault weapons ban.
“I saw that news and I talked a little bit about that with the families today,” he said. “Look, I’m not going to tell the Minnesota lawmakers or the governor exactly how they should respond to this tragedy.”
Calls for gun safety reforms have intensified following the shooting, which was carried out by 23-year-old Robin Westman, who is believed to have used a rifle, a shotgun, and a handgun that was legally purchased.
President Donald Trump has also weighed in on the debate, reviving his old proposal to place weapons in teachers’ hands while speaking about the shooting last week.
“I’ve thrown out the concept, we have great teachers that love our children. The parents love the children, the teacher love the children, too,” he said. “If you took a small percentage of those teachers that were in the military, that were distinguished in the military, that were in the National Guard, etc., and you let them carry. That’s something that a lot of people like. I sort of liked it.”
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