
Two US politicians and their spouses shot in ‘targeted' attacks on homes
A US mayor says two state politicians were shot in their homes.
Minnesota mayor Ryan Sabas of Champlin said state senator John Hoffman and state representative Melissa Hortman were shot, and that Mr Hoffman's wife was also shot.
A person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that investigators believe that the suspect may have been posing as a law enforcement officer.
The person said investigators were still working to establish motive for the attacks and were still in the early stages of an investigation.
Governor Tim Walz said the shooting was targeted.
Mr Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. PA Media A police officer sets up a perimeter with police tape near the scene of the shooting. PA Media
He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm.
He previously served as vice-chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota.
Mr Hoffman is married and has one daughter.
Ms Hortman is the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former house speaker.
She was first elected in 2004.
Ms Hortman, a lawyer, is married and has two children.
Both Mr Hoffman and Ms Hortman represent districts located north of Minneapolis.
Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News
Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
FBI releases chilling images of man in creepy mask amid Vance Boelter manhunt
The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has released new images of a masked man with a flashlight as part of their search for Vance Boelter - who has been placed on the 'Most Wanted' list The FBI has shared new photos of a masked figure with a torch in connection with their hunt for Vance Boelter, the prime suspect in the attacks on Democratic Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, as well as Democratic Senator John Hoffman and his wife. Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her spouse were shot and killed early Saturday in their Brooklyn Park home. A second state politician, Senator John Hoffman and his wife, were shot multiple times in Champlin. Both shootings were described as "targeted political violence" by Minnesota governor Tim Walz. Hours after the shootings, hundreds of police and sheriff deputies from departments in the region, some in tactical gear with assault style weapons were scattered through the town. Occasional police roadblocks where cars are stopped and checked. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said writings found inside a fake police car recovered at one of the shooting scenes mentioned the names of multiple politicians - including both Hortman and Hoffman - and other officials. "When we did a search of the vehicle, there was a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state. We took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary," said Mr Bruley. The new pictures display an individual wearing what seems to be a rubber or silicone disguise resembling a white man, outfitted in gear similar to that worn by police officers. The guise featured in the photos divulged by the FBI also bears a resemblance to a mask sported by Ryan Gosling in the highly-praised 2011 motion picture "Drive." In the film, Gosling's persona comes across the latex mask inside a movie set caravan, subsequently wears it as he ventures into a civilian shopping outlet and commits violence upon those within, as suggested by the movie. These photos were disseminated as part of an appeal to trace Boelter, aged 57, who now finds his name on the FBI's "Most Wanted" register, reports the Mirror US. Up to $50,000 is being offered by the FBI as a bounty for intelligence leading to Boelter's capture and successful prosecution. A directive to stay indoors was enacted for Minneapolis inhabitants Saturday following reported shootings at the residences of two Democratic politicians. Reports indicated that the assailant was masquerading as a bobby, who this week faced reproval from politicians and the people alike for concealing their visages with masks during the anti-ICE demonstrations nationwide. As reported by the Associated Press, Boelter was appointed by Minnesota Governor and Kamala Harris's former 2024 campaign running mate, Tim Walz, to serve on the Governor's Workforce Development Board in 2019. He is also said to be the CEO of Red Lion Group, a company based in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to his LinkedIn profile.


The Guardian
3 hours ago
- The Guardian
Trump news at a glance: mass protests against administration amid military parade and deadly violence
As tanks and soldiers paraded through the streets of Washington on Saturday, millions of people in more than 2,000 locations across the US took to the streets to protest against the excesses of Donald Trump and his administration. The 'No Kings' protests drew over 200,000 in New York and over 100,000 in Philadelphia, while in Los Angeles, where Trump has deployed military force over the past week, protesters gathered outside city hall with many wrapping themselves in American flags. The day was also marked by political violence. There were two early morning shootings of two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota, one of whom was killed along with her husband, in what local officials called a politically motivated attack. Tens of thousands of people around the country are turning out in their communities to speak out against the excesses of Donald Trump's administration in what's expected to be the biggest day of protest since his second term began. The protests, dubbed 'No Kings', are taking place at about 2,000 sites nationwide, from big cities to small towns. A coalition of more than 100 groups have joined to plan the protests, which are committed to a principle of nonviolence. Read the full story Thousands of troops accompanied by dozens of tanks and aircraft marched through the National Mall in Washington DC for a military parade billed as celebrating the US army's 250th birthday on Saturday – which also happened to be the day Donald Trump turns 79. Read the full story A prominent Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband have been killed, and another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife were shot, in the early hours of Saturday. State representative Melissa Hortman has died, as has her husband, Mark, the state's governor, Tim Walz, confirmed at a press conference on Saturday. He said the shooting 'appears to be a politically motivated assassination'. Read the full story The Trump administration deportation campaign is reportedly shifting its focus away from raids on the agricultural and hospitality sectors after Donald Trump conceded this week that his immigration policies are hurting the farming and hotel industries. Read the full story Ice has exponentially increased the arrest and detention of immigrants without any criminal history since the second Trump administration took office, a data analysis by the Guardian shows. Experts fear for the US's preparedness for the next pandemic and worry that other vaccines will be targeted after top health officials turn against some mRNA vaccines. The Trump administration dropped up to $4m in potential fines against the private prison operator Geo Group over its use of a toxic disinfectant in a detention center that allegedly put employees' and detainees' health at risk. Catching up? Here's what happened on 13 June 2025.


South Wales Guardian
3 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Military parade kick offs in US capital as protesters decry Trump
Hours before the parade honouring the Army's 250th anniversary was set to start, demonstrators turned out in streets and parks around the nation to decry the Republican president as a dictator or would-be king. They criticised Trump for using the military to respond to those protesting his deportation efforts and for sending tanks, thousands of marching troops and military aircraft out for show in the US capital. In Washington DC, anti-war protesters unfurled signs that said 'Homes not drones' not far from a display of armoured vehicles, helicopters and military-grade equipment on the National Mall set up to commemorate the US Army's birthday. Bowls of red, white and blue punch were ladled out to attendees, along with slices of a large Army-themed cake that uniformed officials cut with a sabre. Vendors outside the festival sold gear marking the military milestone. Others hawked Trump-themed merchandise. Mr Trump has been wanting a military parade in Washington DC ever since he watched one in France with tanks, soldier and jets overhead in 2017. His dream is set to finally be realised on a day that coincides with his 79th birthday and Flag Day, after organisers tacked the parade onto the line-up for the Army celebration. Mr Trump got regular updates on the planning and made requests for aircraft and hardware to capture the might of the military. The military procession was set to step off from the Lincoln Memorial later on Saturday, under the threat of stormy weather and to the accompaniment of protests elsewhere in the city. Mr Trump brushed off the possibility of both disruptions, with a social media post on Saturday morning that said the 'great military parade' would be on 'rain or shine'. The protests, he said earlier, 'will be met with very big force'. Hours ahead of the parade, crowds of protesters with anti-Trump signs marched toward the White House, escorted by police vehicles and officers on bicycles. Some held a giant banner that read: 'TRUMP MUST GO NOW'. The parade has drawn criticism for its price tag of up to 45 million dollars and the possibility that the lumbering tanks could tear up city streets. The US Army has taken a variety of steps to protect the streets, including laying metal plates along the route. About 6 in 10 Americans said Saturday's parade was 'not a good use' of government money. The vast majority of people, 78%, said they neither approve nor disapprove of the parade overall, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research. Saturday's event is expected to include about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks, as well as possibly 200,000 attendees and heightened security to match.