Minneapolis was shaken when gunfire erupted outside Annunciation Catholic Church on Wednesday, Aug. 27 – the fourth major shooting in less than 24 hours. 

The school attack, which terrified students and parents, capped a violent spree that left at least three people dead and more than a dozen others wounded across the city.

The violent spree has renewed political battles over Minnesota’s progressive criminal justice policies.

Zimmer argued that lawmakers often prioritize the impact of laws on offenders rather than victims. “The fact is, Minnesota has consistently been among the states with the lowest imprisonment rates in the nation,” he said, “but narratives about overincarceration make it difficult to strengthen consequences for criminal activity.”

Retired NYPD Inspector and Fox News contributor Paul Mauro also pointed to the spree’s scale: “We’re well into the twenties on shooting victims in that town over the last two days,” he wrote on X, calling out progressive officials like Hennepin County District Attorney Mary Moriarty.

According to data from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, murders climbed sharply after Walz took office in 2019, from 117 that year to a peak of 201 in 2021, before gradually falling to 172 in 2023.

Analysts blame pandemic disruptions, anti-police sentiment, progressive prosecutorial decisions, and the so-called “Ferguson effect,” where police scale back proactive enforcement.

Governor Walz’s office did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Story tips: stepheny.price@fox.com.