US politician and husband shot dead in 'politically-motivated assassination'
Police in Minnesota have launched a manhunt after a state lawmaker and her husband were shot dead in their home in what has been described as a "politically-motivated assassination".
Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed early on Saturday morning, with the suspect still at large, officials said at a news conference.
Authorities say the same suspect targeted Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, each of whom were shot multiple times.
'The Hoffmans are out of surgery at this time and receiving care, and we are cautiously optimally optimistic, they will survive this assassination attempt,' Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told Saturday's conference.
The FBI is assisting police, who are searching for a male wearing black body armour and a blue shirt who may have impersonated law enforcement, one law enforcement source told ITV News' North American partner, CNN.
Investigators are said to be working to establish a motive for the attacks, although Governor Walz did say the attacks appeared to be a 'politically-motivated assassination'.
'This is a stunning act of violence. I'm thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time,' Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said in a social media post.
'My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.'
The two shootings took place in the cities of Champlin and Brooklyn Park, with the Brooklyn Park Police Department issuing a shelter-in-place order in a 3-mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course Saturday morning.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, now the head of national gun violence prevention organisation GIFFORDS, said in a statement on Saturday that she is ' horrified and heartbroken by last night's attack on two patriotic public servants'.'My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well. An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself," said Giffords, who was one of 13 wounded in an Arizona supermarket parking lot shooting in 2011.
"Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.' Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm and previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota.Hortman, a lawyer and former House Speaker, was first elected in 2004 and became the top House Democratic leader in the state Legislature.
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The Sun
35 minutes ago
- The Sun
Minnesota ‘assassin' Vance Boelter's best friend reveals haunting text gunman sent after he ‘killed Melissa Hortman'
THE best friend and roommate of the suspected Minnesota assassin revealed the final chilling text he received from the alleged killer. Suspected gunman Vance Boelter is believed to have killed Democratic House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband at their home while disguised as a police officer, according to cops. 15 15 15 15 The killer also seriously injured Senator John Hoffman and his wife at their residence in Champlin just hours before, early on Saturday morning. The alleged shooter's friend, David Carlson, has now detailed his childhood pal's final goodbye message, according to KARE. Reading his text messages with Boelter, Carlson said: 'David and Ron, I love you guys. "I made some choices, and you guys don't know anything about this, but I'm going to be gone for a while. "May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn't gone this way." Footage showed the suspected political assassin's friend read the eerie messages in front of his home in North Minneapolis. He continued to read the texts: "I don't want to say anything more and implicate you in any way because you guys don't know anything about this. "But I love you guys and I'm sorry for all the trouble this has caused." Fearing his friend may have done something to harm himself, Carlson immediately called the cops. The 59-year-old, who met Boelter, 57, all the way back in fourth grade, was shocked at the prospect that his friend could have carried out the ruthless killings. 'He wasn't a hateful person,' Carlson said. He added: 'But he needed help.' The haunting texts were revealed after the accused killer's wife was detained following a dramatic traffic stop - before cops said they found weapons and passports in her car. Jenny Boetler was stopped by police while driving with several relatives near Onamia, Minnesota, on Saturday at around 10am, according to KTSP. 15 15 15 15 In the car she also had cash and ammunition, local cops said, adding that the wife was also held for questioning but not arrested. It is currently unclear whether the Boetlers lived together - since Vance is understood to have lived at a residence in Camden, Minnesota. The couple are understood to have joint-ran Praetorian Guard Security Services, a Minnesota-based security company. Their website says: 'Here to set up security options and provide security services right to your doorstep and property to keep what you own safe and secure." The site also says that Boelter had experience working with "security situations" across Eastern Europe, Africa, North America and the Middle East. Online biographies also showed he was the CEO of Red Lion Group - which is based in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additionally, he is said to have worked with Minnesota Africans United - a local organization working with African immigrants in the state. 2022 footage showed Boelter speaking about Red Lion Group's ventures in the DRC, claiming to have business ventures there in fishing, farming, media, security, and motorcycle-taxis. Last month, his online profiles said he was open to work. Boelter's longtime pal Carlson seemingly confirmed his search for work, and added that his friend was experiencing financial trouble, according to CNN. 15 15 15 Carlson said: 'He was looking around, but maybe things didn't work out and he just gave up and decided to go out in a blaze of glory. "I have no idea what he was thinking." Boelter was twice appointed to Minnesota government by different Democratic governors. In 2016 then Governor Mark Dayton appointed Boelter to the Workforce Development Council. Later in 2019, current Governor Tim Walz enlisted him to serve a four-year stint on the Workforce Development Board, according to documents. Despite his work under Walz, Carlson revealed that Boelter had voted for Donald Trump at the last election. The security services worker also last registered to vote in 2022 as a Republican, according to the New York Post. FBI announces $50k reward for arrest and conviction The FBI is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Vance L. Boelter, the suspect in Saturday's targeted shootings of Minnesota lawmakers and their families in Champlin and Brooklyn Park. Anyone with information about these shootings or Boelter's location should call the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) tip line at 877-996-6222 or email The public is asked to call 911 immediately if they see Boelter. Do not approach him. The FBI, BCA, Brooklyn Park Police Department and Champlin Police Department along with other local and state law enforcement officials continue searching for Boelter. Source: Minnesota Department of Public Safety Carlson added that he wasn't aware of what Boelter's political leanings on state politics were, however. He also shared that Boetler was also strongly anti-abortion - but not in a way that could have motivated him to kill. 'It wasn't the thing that defined him,' Carlson said. 'I mean, it wasn't his total existence. He would talk about other things.' Boelter lived at Carlson's home in North Minneapolis just a few days a week, according to the roommate. He explained how Boelter was not at the residence at the time officers executed a search warrant on Saturday. 15 15 Cops were called to Senator Hoffman's home at 2:08am on Saturday and responded to Rep. Hortman's home at 3:35am — where they exchanged gunfire with the suspect. The shooter was seen on home security footage released by the FBI outside one of the victim's homes, wearing a fake police uniform and an eerie latex mask. As cops launched an extensive manhunt for the killer who is still at large, they named 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as a suspect in the shootings. He should be considered armed and dangerous and the public should not approach him, the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension has warned. A $50,000 reward for information leading to his arrest and conviction has been announced by the FBI. A motive has not been released by cops, but the shootings come as millions take to the streets as part of the anti-Trump No Kings movement as the President holds a military parade in Washington DC. "We don't have any direct links, however there were some fliers that said 'No Kings' within the suspect vehicle, and as we know, the events planned throughout the state of Minnesota is a No Kings event," Minnesota State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic said. Boelter was last seen in the Twin Cities area wearing a light-colored cowboy hat, a dark long-sleeved shirt and light pants. He is described as 220lbs and 6 foot 1 and cops believe he is trying to flee the area and may be carrying a dark bag. The public should call 911 or sent tips to or call 877-996-6222.
Spectator
an hour ago
- Spectator
Why the Israel-Iran war could raise your taxes
If Rachel Reeves is to have any chance of making it to her autumn budget without U-turns or raising taxes, the improved economic forecasts of recent months need to come true. Missiles flying between Israel and Iran may destroy that hope. Things had been getting better for the Chancellor. Look at economic forecasts from the aftermath of Trump's 'liberation day', and there was a common theme when it came to Britain. Because of the nature of our economic relationship with America – as a massive exporter in services (we're their call centre) and with more or less balanced trade in goods – we would be shielded against the worst impacts of a trade slowdown. Global GDP growth would suffer, but the effects would not come to Britain. The real boon, if one was being positive, though was what effect these tariffs might have on inflation. While raising prices in the shops for American consumers, the view of the economic world was that for the UK they may in fact be disinflationary. That's because, as the consultancy firm Oxford Economics explained to their clients last month, dampening demand for commodities such as oil and gas would reduce the cost of products consumed in Britain. But all that was before the first Israeli missiles landed in Iran. A barrel of Brent crude now goes for over $70. On Monday it went for $65 – so there has been a 9 per cent in just five days. On Friday morning, it briefly spiked to nearly $80 in what was the sharpest price spike since Russia invaded Ukraine three years ago. Within hours of Reeves delivering what director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies Paul Johnson yesterday called an 'incomprehensible' spending review speech, economists were warning that tax rises in the autumn were becoming likely. Just a day later, a worse-than-expected GDP contraction turned likely into very likely. If oil prices continue climbing as the war escalates, tax rises could become certain. Some 20 billion barrels of oil pass through the Strait of Hormuz, or about 30 per cent of total global trade. So it's easy to see how if Tehran tried to attempt to close the Strait – as Iranian news reports it is considering – or even attacked a few tankers, the oil price would quickly head northwards again. Indeed the FT reported yesterday that the world's largest oil tanker company has stopped accepting new contracts to sail through the Strait. If oil prices do continue to rise – and some say disruption in the Strait could send the price over $100 a barrel – it would be mere days before Brits start paying the cost at the petrol forecourt. But oil supplies are crucial to much more than petrol and diesel and taken together, it's easy to see how the rate of inflation remains sticky or even begins to rise again. Given that the bond markets are keeping the cost of UK debt far higher than the Treasury has been used to – much more because of inflation worries and the after effects of money printing than is understood in Westminster – any signal that prices were rising again are not going to give them faith in Britain as a debtor. If that were to happen and gilt yields remain high, or even climb further, then Reeves could find herself in heaps of trouble. It surprises many City economists just how unequivocal the government has been about sticking to fiscal rules and indeed keeping Labour's manifesto promise not to 'raise taxes on working people' given how hard that is when Reeves only has £9.9 billion of headroom. Before her Spring Statement the chancellor talked of the economic challenges posed by a 'changing world'. Things in the middle east have a habit of spilling over and the world seems to be changing again. Could this once more be the excuse the chancellor has to reach for?
NBC News
an hour ago
- NBC News
How a city in Nebraska is recovering after the state's largest worksite immigration raid
Immigration The city of Omaha is trying to forge ahead following the raid's chilling effect on the local workforce and the community at large. June 15, 2025, 6:00 AM EDT By Nicole Acevedo OMAHA, Nebraska — Every seat in the waiting area of Glenn Valley Foods was occupied with people filling out job applications early Thursday afternoon, two days after the meatpacking plant became the center of the largest worksite immigration raid in the state of Nebraska so far this year. Dozens of prospective employees, many of them Spanish speakers, had been coming in and out of the plant all day. Some were hoping to land a new job; others were coming in for training. The scene gave the company's president, Chad Hartmann, a glimmer of hope amid the chaos that ensued after Tuesday's raid purged roughly half of his staff — many of whom had been longtime employees of the company, which has been processing boxed beef for more than 15 years. Hartmann had never seen or experienced a raid before. He is finding out in real time that 'there's no playbook' on how to move forward after one, Hartmann told NBC News. The process of re-hiring new workers, Hartmann said, feels like asking someone to replace a family member. 'You cannot, in my mind,' he said. 'They were part of our family, and they were taken away.' Seventy-six people working at Glenn Valley Foods were arrested by federal immigration authorities Tuesday morning, the Department of Homeland Security told NBC News in an email. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the arrests were part of an enforcement operation to execute a federal search warrant in connection to an investigation into ' the large-scale employment of aliens without legal work authorization.' As of Friday night, criminal charges had not been filed against those arrested in the raid. About a dozen of them have already been deported or transferred out of state. At least 63 others were taken to the Lincoln County Detention Center. The county's sheriff, Jerome Kramer, said none of the detainees are 'violent offenders' and he hopes to help them 'complete the process to correct their work status and reunite them with families or employers.' Samantha Santiago, who owns a business selling accessories in South Omaha's predominantly Latino business district, said many of the detained people were her customers. 'There are just too many families who were affected,' she said in Spanish, adding that some of people in the community canceled " quinceañeras" and baptisms planned for this weekend because 'the sadness is too deep.' The raid happened on the same week John Ewing officially took office as the first Black mayor of Omaha. Ewing, a Democrat, defeated Republican incumbent Jean Stothert in last month's election. At the same time, anti-ICE demonstrations have been raging across the nation in cities like Los Angeles, Seattle, New York and Philadelphia — protesting the tactics being used when conducting raids and immigration enforcement actions. 'It's a collective effort, as a community, to both mourn together and also try to find solutions together for everybody,' Douglas County Commissioner Roger Garcia, the first Latino to occupy that position, told NBC News. Douglas County, where Omaha is located, is one of just two counties in Nebraska that went blue during the 2024 presidential election. The state as a whole is largely considered a Republican stronghold. Nevada Gov. Jim Pillen, a Republican, issued a statement in support of the raids and signed a proclamation Friday to activate the National Guard as a precautionary measure ' in anticipation of anti-ICE protests ' this weekend. In a news conference Wednesday, Ewing said that he does not support workplace raids and Omaha police would not, as a normal course of business, ask people about their immigration status. The dueling points showcase the source of nationwide tensions as Americans grapple with President Donald Trump's actions to fulfill his campaign promise of mass deportations. On Friday, over 500 people protesting Omaha's immigration raids peacefully marched to Charles Schwab Field, where the College World Series — the city's biggest sporting event — was kicking off. 'It is big for tourism in Omaha,' Juan Elizondo, one of the protest's lead organizers, told NBC News. 'The nation here with us — being there present, and letting them hear us, I think is more impactful.' A diverse crowd of demonstrators, from children and young people to older adults, were mostly dressed in white to show peace, though a handful of them even dressed in work uniforms to symbolize immigrants' contributions. Most of them held signs, upside down American flags signaling distress and Latin American flags to represent some of the people's heritage. Dozens of other people driving by honked at the demonstrators and placed flags outside their car windows to show support. The march marked the first time Elizondo, 32, had organized a protest. As an Omaha native and a son of Mexican immigrants, Elizondo said, he felt compelled to step up after he saw that the main message of the protests across the nation was being marred by instances of violence. 'This is definitely an extreme moment in the community,' he said. 'It's gotten a lot more political.' Reeling from the aftermath News of the ICE raid this week sent a crippling, chilling effect across the city. The local library and community college closed early on Tuesday. Construction sites and other workplaces have been desolate. South Omaha's business district, known as a vibrant Hispanic and immigrant enclave, shut down immediately after the raid. As of Friday, some had reopened. About a third of the remaining staff at Glenn Valley Foods showed up to work on Wednesday, with many staying home because they still felt afraid or traumatized, resulting in a roughly 20% drop in production that day, according to Hartmann. As more of the remaining employees showed up Thursday morning — most still reeling from the stress caused by the raid — workers and employees held a meeting. Hartmann described the meeting as a combination of 'tough love' and even passionate disagreements, as people tried to make sense of what happened and find a way to move forward. About 80 employees were at the plant processing meat early Friday afternoon. At the South Omaha business district, a popular Mexican bakery reopened Friday and welcomed dozens of customers taking home pastries for Father's Day weekend. Three hair stylists sat outside their empty salon. They said this weekend tends to be busy for the business, but many of their immigrant customers were not coming in because they were still afraid to be out in public following the raid. Santiago was back at her store Friday after taking a couple of days to process what was happening around her. During those two days, Santiago said she would cry unprompted 'every five minutes.' To find comfort, she went to church and prayed. Scrolling on social media, Santiago saw GoFundMe pages, raffles and other efforts to raise funds for the families affected by the raids. She said some are struggling to afford legal fees and immigration attorneys as well as keep up with family expenses without their spouse's income. Looking for a way to help, Santiago had the idea to take a portion of the proceeds from her bestselling item — the popular Labubu dolls — and donate them to the affected families. Commissioner Garcia's family is among those directly impacted by the raids. His wife's aunt was among the 76 people who were taken into immigration custody. Her son was able to speak with her on Wednesday at around 1 a.m. and learned she was being taken to an immigration processing center in Omaha. Currently, she is at a state detention center elsewhere. 'A lot of these individuals have been here for many years, if not decades, raising a family here, have citizen children and family members here, and they don't fit that profile of being the high-level criminals that are supposed to be the priority for immigration enforcement,' Garcia said. Grappling with a system that 'needs to be repaired' Wrapping and loading boxes of product into trucks, processing meat, maintaining the intricate machinery and repairing and cleaning the plant: these are some of the jobs, Hartmann said, that workers at Glenn Valley Foods do to ensure the meatpacking plant passes strict Safe Quality Food audits and inspections from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Hartmann explained some of these jobs require rigorous safety training; 'it takes skilled people that take pride in what they do,' he said. The company's president said they have continuously used E-Verify as part of their hiring process. The system is operated by the Department of Homeland Security in partnership with the Social Security Administration to let employers know if a prospective employee has legal authorization to work in the U.S. Every employee at Glenn Valley Foods, including those who were detained by ICE, has been approved through E-Verify, Hartmann said. When he told this to DHS during the raid, an agency official described the system they operate as flawed and easy to cheat. Now, as he hires a new workforce, Hartmann has no other alternative but to continue using E-Verify system to screen employees, he said. 'That system doesn't capture a solution if somebody's got a fake ID. That's what needs to be repaired.' Garcia said that limiting immigrants' ability to remain in the country legally is what often pushes people to 'borrow' or 'make up' false identifications. It is for the 'sole purpose of working and nothing else, because there has been no other way for them to adjust their status and work under their own proper name or identification.' 'But our comprehensive immigration reform efforts have not gone through yet, unfortunately. And it's still badly needed,' García said. In researching alternatives for E-Verify with guidance from Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., DHS and federal authorities, Hartmann said the options he was presented included temporary work visa programs such as H-1A — meant for industries dealing with workforce shortages — and H-2B, for nonagricultural jobs. But because these immigration programs are for seasonal workers, 'it doesn't fit our needs,' Hartmann said. Saying goodbye to workers every six months is 'not building a business.' Hartmann wishes government officials would consider creating a limited period of amnesty for undocumented people who 'meet certain qualifications' such as never having committed a crime, a desire to work, pay taxes and be part of the community. This could be a temporary remedy for people looking to get legal immigration status, he suggested. While that might not be the answer to the larger immigration issue, he said it's 'some version that makes sense.' 'There should be no problem with that,' Hartmann said, 'to just stop the bleeding, stop the problem.' A new generation of residents speak out Elizondo organized Friday's protest with the help and support of other more experienced Latino and immigrant rights advocates. A group of them met on Thursday afternoon at a downtown Omaha restaurant to plan the demonstration. They shared advice on how to work with local law enforcement to ensure the protests remained peaceful and focused on how immigration raids are hurting their communities, the community activists said. 'That has made the new generation speak up,' Rosa la Puente, one of the advocates mentoring Elizondo, said about the recent events. Many in the community are questioning the timing of the Omaha raid, wondering if the city was targeted for political reasons. When asked about this at a news conference on Wednesday, Ewing said, 'I don't know why Omaha was targeted.' For young Omaha residents like Elizondo and Jennifer Reyna, 29, the issue feels personal. Elizondo said he was inspired to step up after he saw his mother's leadership, consoling co-workers at James Skinner Baking, a local baking manufacturer, who were paralyzed with fear following the raid. 'It breaks your heart,' he said. Reyna, who attended Friday's protest, said they want their voices heard beyond Omaha. 'Everyone at this point in time in the community is afraid and is extremely upset,' Reyna said. Amid a feeling of helplessness, "we're trying to live normal, hardworking lives in this country that we do love,' she said. Nicole Acevedo Nicole Acevedo is a national reporter for NBC News and NBC Latino.
