Trump administration cut funding to shooting prevention programs in Minnesota weeks before school shooting
Trump cuts $18.5million from prevention schemes weeks before Minneapolis shooting
- A month prior to a fatal church shooting in Minneapolis, the Trump administration cut $18.5 million from a Homeland Security programme aimed at preventing mass violence.
- This federal funding reduction led to the termination of approximately $800,000 in grants for local agencies in Minnesota, including the Department of Public Safety and Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
- The affected programme, the DHS’ Centre for Prevention Programmes and Partnerships (CP3), had funded multidisciplinary teams to identify and manage potential threats.
- DHS officials defended the cuts, labelling the grant programme a "slush fund," but critics, such as Democratic Representative Betty McCollum, contended these initiatives were vital for violence prevention.
- Following the shooting, which resulted in two children killed and 18 injured, experts suggested the loss of these resources may have left communities more vulnerable, despite the shooter displaying evident warning signs.