Florida school shooting survivors meet with Gov. Dayton

ST. PAUL, Minn. (KMSP) - A group of school shooting survivors from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, wrapped up their swing through Minnesota this week by meeting with Governor Mark Dayton, saying afterword that the group discussed issues of gun control and police brutality. 

The students were in the state Sunday and Monday as a part of a cross-country voter registration and advocacy drive, pushing young people--statistically unreliable voters compared to older generations--to be more involved in the political process. Opening their visit with a Town Hall meeting Sunday night in Osseo before a stop at the Fox 9 studios Monday morning, the group was equally focused on getting their message out and highlighting the work of local groups rallying young people on the ground in Minnesota.

"We came to Minneapolis to understand how this community is affected by gun violence, because every community is affected differently," said David Hogg, one of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas students. "We’re survivors and we’re fighters, and what we’re fighting for we know is right."

Other young people in the Twin Cities said the group of students didn't speak for them. Young NRA members like Jonathan Lopez say criticism against gun owners is off base and that already existing laws cover the things his peers are advocating for. 

"For those friends who [advocate] for gun control, those laws are already in place," he said. "They just don’t understand because they haven’t been through that process of owning a gun."