The Minnesota Catholic Conference (MCC) is petitioning Gov. Tim Walz to call a special session of the Legislature and direct lawmakers to enact school safety legislation in the wake of Tuesday's mass shooting at an elementary school in Texas.

“We call on Gov. Tim Walz to call a (legislative) special session and work with the the Minnesota Senate Republican Caucus and Minnesota House DFL to pass school safety legislation that protects all students from gun violence,” the MCC said in a Facebook post. 

“There will not be (legislative) alignment on common-sense gun regulation, but this is something we can do immediately protect our students,” the post said. “Gov. Walz and (State) Sen. (Jeremy) Miller have communicated to us their support in principle for this bill, and it is time to get it done.” 

Salvador Ramos, 18, is reported to have shot and killed 19 fourth-graders and two teachers and wounded 17 other people at Robb Elementary School, the Associated Press reports.

The school is located in Uvalde, Texas, a majority-Hispanic town of 16,000 that is west of San Antonio. Ramos entered a classroom, barricaded its entry, and opened fire on the people inside, until law enforcement officers were able to break into the classroom and kill him, the AP said.

The tragedy rocked Catholic leaders across the nation.

“There have been too many school shootings, too much killing of the innocent," a spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) said in a release. "Our Catholic faith calls us to pray for those who have died and to bind the wounds of others, and we join our prayers along with the community in Uvalde and Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller. As we do so, each of us also needs to search our souls for ways that we can do more to understand this epidemic of evil and violence and implore our elected officials to help us take action.” 

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott commented about the tragedy.

“Texans across the state are grieving for the victims of this senseless crime and for the community of Uvalde," Abbott said in a release. "Cecilia and I mourn this horrific loss and we urge all Texans to come together to show our unwavering support to all who are suffering.” 

He thanked the first responders and promised to help the community.

“I have instructed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers to work with local law enforcement to fully investigate this crime,” Abbott said. “The Texas Division of Emergency Management is charged with providing local officials all resources necessary to respond to this tragedy as the State of Texas works to ensure the community has what it needs to heal.”