LOOK BACK AT LIFE AT THE CAPITOL AND MAYBE OFFER SOME ADVICE TO FUTURE LEGISLATORS.

>> Cathy: WE START TODAY WITH SOMBER NEWS.

THE SHOOTING IN THE WHITTIER NEIGHBORHOOD OF SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS THAT LEFT THREE DEAD AND FOUR WOUNDED.

AMONG THE DEAD, MINNEAPOLIS POLICE OFFICER JAMAL MITCHELL AND THE SUSPECTED SHOOTER.

MITCHELL IS THE FIRST POLICE OFFICER SHOT IN THE LINE OF DUTY IN MORE THAN 20 YEARS.

MARY LAHAMMER HAS REACTIONS FROM POLICY LEADERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.

>> TODAY THE CITY OF MINNEAPOLIS LOST HERO IN POLICE OFFICER JAMAL MITCHELL.

>> FOR MINNESOTANS, HERE IN MINNEAPOLIS, BUT ACROSS THE STATE YOU'RE FEELING THE TRAUMA OF THIS ONCE AGAIN BECAUSE THIS IS ONE OF THOSE INSTANCES SHOULD BE UNTHINKABLE, BUT IT'S VERY THINKABLE BECAUSE IT'S NOW HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS.

WHERE WE'VE HAD PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICERS RESPONDING TO THE CALL THAT PEOPLE MAKE TO 911, RUSHING INTO THAT SITUATION AND IN THIS CASE BEING AMBUSHED AND A LOSS OF LIFE FOR OFFICER MITCHELL.

THAT TRAUMA QUICKLY SHOULD TURN TO ANGER, AND A COMMITMENT THAT THIS CANNOT HAPPEN.

>> REPRESENTATIVE, AS FORMER LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

WHAT ARE YOU HEARING FROM YOUR COLLEAGUES AT THIS POINT?

>> HAD A LOT OF TEXT MESSAGES FROM PEOPLE WE KNOW THAT ARE RETIRED OR AND REACHED OUT TO PEOPLE THAT WERE STILL IN THE FIELD AND FRIENDS THAT I HAVE THAT ARE STILL WORKING AT MINNEAPOLIS.

JUST CHECKING IN WITH THEM, LETTING THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE SUPPORTED AND WE'RE HERE FOR THEM.

>> HOW ABOUT YOU PERSONALLY?

THIS CAN'T GET EASIER EVERY TIME IT HAPPENS.

>> NO, BUT I LOOK AT PEOPLE LIKE DREW EVANS, SUPERINTENDENT EVANS AND SEE WHAT HE GOES THROUGH AND CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT IT'S LIKE.

>> THIS IS HAPPENING FAR TOO OWN IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND SOMETHING DEFINITELY NEEDS TO CHANGE.

WHAT WE HAD TODAY WAS ANOTHER POLICE OFFICER IN THE LINE OF DUTY RUSHING TOWARDS DANGER WHO ANSWERED THE CALL FOR SERVICE AND THE FIRST THING HE DID WHEN HE GOT OUT OF HIS CAR WAS TRIED TO HELP VICTIMS AT A SCENE AND HE WAS AMBUSHED.

I'M SEEING THAT FAR TOO OFTEN WHEN INDIVIDUALS ARE DOING THAT ON IA REGULAR BASIS, WHERE THEY'RE DOING THEIR JOBS AND THE FIRST THING THEY ENCOUNTER IS GUNFIRE.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE SITUATION WE'RE FACED WITH THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR?

WHILE IT'S BEEN OVER 20 YEARS SINCE WE'VE LOST A MINNEAPOLIS OFFICER, THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR IN MINNESOTA, THIS HURTS ON A DIFFERENT LEVEL WITH THAT CONTEXT, DOESN'T IT?

>> IT'S EVERY DAY, MARY.

IF YOU JUST LOOK, LAST WEEK WE HAD THE ASSAULT ON THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AT STILLWATER.

THIS IS A VERY BAD TREND AND SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE THE WAY NOT ONLY LAW ENFORCEMENTS ARE VIEWED BUT HOW THE PUBLIC TREATS EACH OTHER.

>> BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE HAVE BEEN SAYING ONE THING VERY SIMILAR, AND THAT'S THIS HAS TO STOP.

WHAT ARE SOLUTIONS?

>> WE NEED TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE STATE OF MINNESOTA IS NOT GOING TO STAND UP FOR VIOLENCE.

AND VIOLENT CRIMINALS HAVE TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

>> WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

YOU ARE THE REPUBLICAN LEAD ON THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE.

WHAT IS THE PRACTICAL LEGISLATIVE REACTION?

>> WE CAN LOOK OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN ON PEOPLE THAT HAVE SHOWN A BLATANT DISREGARD FOR THE VALUE OF THE LIVES OF OTHERS ND THEY ARE CONTINUOUSLY NOT HELD ACCOUNTABLE, AND THAT JUST ENCOURAGES MORE SERIOUS OF THE SAME BEHAVIOR.

>> TOUGHER SENTENCES?

NEW GUIDELINES, IS THAT WHAT THAT MEANS?

>> WE HAVE GUIDELINES, MARY.

THEY'RE NOT FOLLOWED.

AND AN OVERWHELMING PERCENT OF THE CASES SOMEONE COMMITS A VIOLENT CRIME, ANY TIMES -- AND, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP -- TWO-THIRDS OF THE TIME SOMEONE WHO COMMITS A VIOLENT CRIME WITH A FIREARM WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MANDATORY COMMIT DOESN'T GET IT.

>> WHAT ABOUT THE WEAPON?

WHAT ABOUT THE GUNS, ECAUSE CLEARLY THERE ARE TOO MANY GUNS OUT THERE.

THAT'S FAIR, RIGHT?

BAD GUYS ARE DOING BAD THINGS WITH GUNS.

>> BAD GUYS ARE DOING BAD THINGS WITH GUNS AND MACHETES AND CARS AND KNIVES AND FENTANYL -- >> TWO OFFICER KILLINGS WERE GUNS, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY, BUT WHAT'S THE SOLUTION -- >> YEAH.

>> HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHEN THEY GET CAUGHT OF CAUGHT WITH THE GUNS.

WE DON'T HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY KILL SOMEONE TO SEND THE MESSAGE.

>> THE OTHER ISSUE THAT THIS BRINGS RENEWED ATTENTION TO IS MINNEAPOLIS POLICE FORCE AND THE TROUBLE THAT THEY'VE HAD RECRUITING AND RETAINING OFFICERS.

OFFICER MITCHELL WAS NEW TO THE FORCE, SOUNDS LIKE HE WAS REALLY WELL LIKED AND DOING QUITE WELL.

WHAT DO WE DO AS POLICYMAKERS TO HELP RETAIN, RECRUIT MORE POLICE OFFICERS?

LEGISLATURE PASSED SOME THINGS ON THIS, IS IT HELPING YET?

>> IF WE LOOK AT THE SURVEY THAT WAS RELEASED BY MPPOA ABOUT WHAT IS CAUSING PROBLEMS WITH RETENTION, IT'S KNOWING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE SUPPORTED AND BACKED BY YOUR ADMINISTRATION AND YOUR CIVILIAN CITY COUNCIL OR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.

KNOWING THAT THE PEOPLE THAT YOU WORK FOR HAVE YOUR BACK IS THE BIGGEST