Tim Walz clarifies 'friends with school shooters' line from vice presidential debate

Minnesota governor and Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz on Wednesday clarified a comment that he has "become friends with school shooters," as referring to becoming friends with people where there are shootings.

The governor made the awkward gaffe during the vice presidential debate in New York City on Tuesday night, stating that he changed his views on gun policies because he has "become friends with school shooters," and that he had been a National Rifle Association "guy for a long time." 

Walz clarified the comment during a campaign stop in Pennsylvania, where he told reporters that he meant people who had been impacted by school shootings, instead of the shooters themselves.

“I was talking about meeting people where there are school shooters, and I need to be more specific on that,” Walz told an NBC News reporter, according to The Hill. “But I am passionate about this. This one, for my wife and I, is just, as teachers, as parents, is so personal.”

Walz stated during the debate that he made his decision to change his stance on gun control policies after meeting with families of Sandy Hook shooting victims. He also noted the increase in school shootings since his generation, and said that the majority of firearm deaths in his state "are rural suicides."

"Sometimes it just is the guns," Walz said. "It's just the guns. And there are things that you can do about it, but I do think that this is a healthy conversation. I think there's a capacity to find solutions on this that work. Protect the Second Amendment, protect our children. That's our priority."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.