After a moment of quiet as part of the National Moment of Silence for victims of Saturday's shooting in Arizona, Gov. Mark Dayton on Monday said he will review security procedures at the Minnesota Capitol.
Historically, the Capitol has traded buttoned-down access for openness for all. That may not change any time soon.
"I believe the precautions here are very sound and provide the appropriate balance between the security of everyone who is in this building ... with the reasonable accessibility of everyone who needs to participate in the democratic processes that go on here," the governor said from the Capitol reception room. "It is crucial to strike a balance between reasonable security for all of us ... and yet allow for access."
Dayton said the violent outburst over the weekend, in which Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., was targeted and six people were killed, shows "a threat to all of our constitutional rights and the security that we all depend upon."
The governor met with Capitol security officials Monday morning and will meet with them and legislative leaders later this week "to review the current policies."
Officials periodically have raised doubts about the building's safety; unlike some state Capitols, it does not have metal detectors or security guards at public entrances. An audit two years ago found "significant security vulnerabilities" at the century-old domed building.
Dayton noted that the shooting was outside a grocery store, not in an official building, and said he did not plan to curtail his out-of-the Capitol availability in response. Dayton is traveling to Thief River Falls on Tuesday.
He said the Arizona violence may not have been a political or partisan matter, but on his Facebook page he called for an end to the "vitriolic political rhetoric."
