What happens when someone’s gun rights are restored — or denied — in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS — Last month, Minneapolis police officer Jamal Mitchell was shot and killed by a felon who shouldn’t have had a gun. 

Before that, in February, a similar scene played out in Burnsville, killing three first responders. In that case, the shooter, Shannon Gooden had asked the courts to restore his gun rights. He was denied. 

But what about the hundreds of other felons who asked for the same thing?

Over five years, 1,448 petitions to restore gun and ammo rights have been filed in Minnesota. They were originally stripped for convictions like drug offenses, assault, theft and terroristic threats. The courts approved more than half of them — mainly for people who had stayed out of trouble and requested to hunt or have personal protection. People like Troy Horning.

“It’s people that have been law-abiding. You know, grown up enough and understand enough the responsibility of carrying a live firearm,” Horning said.

WCCO went through case after case from 2019 through 2023. Of the rights restored, two people had a gun offense after — both misdemeanors.

In one case, the person had a rifle in a shotgun zone with an invalid permit. The other was for carrying a pistol while under the influence of alcohol. A third person was convicted of felony drug possession. 

Senior Judge Jerome Abrams has been on the bench, deciding if there’s good cause to restore felons’ gun rights.

“I think what you found is very consistent with just the nature of the crimes and offense in the community. The people that are getting their firearms back are not likely the people who are committing new serious crimes in the community,” Abrams said. 

It’s a similar story for felons who had their petition denied. A man who had his rights denied was later convicted of a violation after police found guns in his bedroom. A handful of people withdrew their petition or asked for a dismissal after being charged with crimes, some involving a firearm. 

We found convictions for things like assault, disorderly conduct, DWI and speeding for people who had rights restored and denied.

“Well, I think the data suggests that it is [working]. I think the data supports the fact that so far, the judicial evaluation or role in that process has been fairly good. I mean, it’s consistent. In other words, we’re not giving guns back to people who are out to commit offenses with firearms. It happens to be that some of the people who get their gun rights back commit other crimes, but they’re not using the firearms as part of it,” Abrams said.

What does the data show about felons in Minnesota, who are caught with a gun after being prohibited from having one? 

Tuesday at 10 p.m. WCCO shares the push to hold felons in possession accountable and talks with a mother who knows deep grief after her daughter’s life was taken by a felon with a gun.