A tragic incident has shaken the state of Minnesota after a gunman—posing as a police officer—carried out what authorities are calling a politically motivated assassination. The attack, which occurred on Saturday, left a senior Democratic lawmaker and her husband dead, and another state senator and his wife seriously injured.
According to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the suspect shot and killed Assemblywoman Melissa Hortman, a former state assembly speaker, along with her husband, Mark, in their Minneapolis suburb home. Prior to this, the same gunman also attacked Senator John Hoffman and his wife at their residence in Champlin, shooting both multiple times.
Authorities responded quickly and engaged the suspect at the Hortmans’ residence. The gunman, disguised as a police officer, exchanged fire with law enforcement officers before fleeing the scene on foot. He abandoned a vehicle nearby, inside which investigators discovered a “manifesto” containing the names of additional lawmakers and public officials. This document points to a broader, chilling plot against elected leaders.
At a press briefing, Governor Walz labeled the attack as “targeted political violence” and emphasized that such actions have no place in American democracy.
“Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy,” Walz said. “We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”
Senator Hoffman and his wife were rushed into surgery and are currently recovering. The Governor expressed cautious optimism about their survival, describing the attack as an assassination attempt.
Former President Donald Trump also issued a statement, calling the shooting a “targeted attack against State Lawmakers.”
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota,” Trump said.
The manhunt for the gunman is ongoing, with state and federal law enforcement collaborating on the investigation. As the community reels from this traumatic event, security is being tightened around other Minnesota officials believed to be potential targets.
This tragic episode underscores a rising concern: the growing threat of political violence in America. Lawmakers, regardless of political affiliation, are now being urged to exercise increased caution as investigations continue.
