US state politician and husband killed in ‘targeted' attacks on two Democrats
US
politician Melissa Hortman and her husband have been killed in a politically motivated assassination, according to a state governor.
A second state politician, senator John Hoffman, and his wife were shot and wounded in the 'targeted' attack near Brooklyn Park, Minnesota on Saturday, said governor
Tim Walz
.
'We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,' Mr Walz said at a press conference Saturday.
'Those responsible for this will be held accountable.'
READ MORE
Mr Hoffman, a
Democrat
, was first elected in 2012 and 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 was the top house Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former house speaker. She was first elected in 2004.
A police officer sets up a perimeter with police tape near the scene of the shooting. Photograph: Alex Kormann/ Star Tribune via AP
Mr Hoffman and Ms Hortman represented districts located north of Minneapolis.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect.
Post-mortem examinations will be carried out to determine extent of injuries, but Ms Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Mr Evans said.
Public safety commissioner Bob Johnson said the suspect was posing as a law enforcement officer.
He said: 'Suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is deeply disturbing to those of us who wear the badge with honour and responsibility.'
Law enforcement officers including local police, sheriffs and the FBI at the scene. Photograph: Alex Kormann/ Star Tribune via AP
The shootings happened at a time when political leaders nationwide have been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a time of deep political divisions.
Giffords, the national gun violence prevention organisation led by former congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, released the following statement.
'I am horrified and heartbroken by last night's attack on two patriotic public servants,' Ms Giffords said.
'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.
'Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.'
Ms Giffords was shot in the head in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and injured 12 others.
She stepped down from congress in January 2012 to focus on her recovery. —Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
A quarter of major US corporate backers pull out of Dublin Pride over Trump fears
More than one-quarter of the US multinational firms that sponsored past Dublin Pride events have pulled out this month due to the shift in US attitudes towards diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, organisers have said. Pride's co-chief executive Jed Dowling said 12 of 42 US firms that had recently been involved stepped away. He said 10 did so because of concerns over the Trump administration's threats to sanction firms with DEI policies it did not approve of. Speaking at a Pride at Work event, hosted by the Department of Justice on Friday, Mr Dowling said two of the 12 firms stated they could not offer financial support this year because of cuts to discretionary budgets related to wider financial performance or falls in share prices. READ MORE However, he said the event overall would be bigger this year because more new firms and community groups had become involved. Mr Dowling declined to name the firms that have withdrawn support. However, recruitment firm Indeed and Mastercard are known to be among those that have stepped away. He said most of the major US firms from the banking and pharma sectors that have previously backed the event will again be involved. Those partnering again this year include Citibank, Bank of America, Dell, Pfizer and Abbvie. Some of those that have departed remain supportive, with Indeed understood to be one such firm. In a statement on Friday another traditional backer, EY Ireland, said it was 'very much looking forward to once again participating in Dublin Pride' and would be organising a number of events around it. Trayc Keevans, who advised major multinationals on investment in Ireland for international recruitment firm Morgan McKinley, said the departure of some firms did not necessarily mean a shift in corporate values. 'The reduction in public sponsorships reflects a broader shift in how multinational organisations are supporting DEI initiatives,' she said. 'Rather than wavering on their overall commitment to DEI, we are seeing they are being more intentional about deploying resources where they can have the most meaningful impact, particularly through internal programmes that directly benefit their employees and local communities while balancing that with the complex regulatory environment their parent companies are operating within.' Firms, she said, were conscious of the need to be able to continue to bid for public sector contracts in the US and were adapting their support for inclusion programmes and initiatives to ensure they avoided sanctions. Addressing the Pride at Work meeting, Mr Dowling said the organisation was launching individual memberships in an attempt to keep people involved with the organisation even if their employer has disengaged. [ Trump's vanity takes a hit as modest crowd for military parade overshadowed by 'No Kings' protests across country Opens in new window ] 'Where your connection to the community has been facilitated by your company, what happens when you're in one of those dozen American companies who say 'we don't support diversity and inclusion anymore, we don't have that anymore', and suddenly your whole connection is gone?,' he said. This year's Dublin event culminates in the traditional parade through the city centre on June 28th, which thousands of people are expected to participate in. Events are being billed as a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Ireland's vote in favour of marriage equality.
The Journal
5 hours ago
- The Journal
Manhunt underway in Minnesota as police name suspect in shootings of Democratic politicians
A MANHUNT IS underway in Minnesota after a gunman shot and killed a Democratic politician and her husband, and wounded two other people in what the US state's governor called politically motivated attacks. Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman, a former speaker of the House, and her husband Mark were killed at their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park, Governor Tim Walz announced in a news conference. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot and wounded at their home in nearby Champlin, he said. Police named the suspected assailant as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, who was still at large and considered 'armed and dangerous.' 'We believe he's working to potentially flee the (Minneapolis-St Paul) area,' Drew Evans, superintendent of the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, told reporters. Boelter had been spotted Saturday morning in the Minneapolis area on surveillance footage obtained from a business, the official said. Evans said authorities were still investigating the suspect's motives, and did not know if additional people were involved in the attacks. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed in their home on Saturday. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo US President Donald Trump and US Attorney General Pam Bondi decried what they called 'horrific violence' and said perpetrators would be prosecuted to 'the fullest extent of the law.' The FBI offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the capture or conviction of Boelter. 'Targeted political violence' Walz called the shootings 'an act of targeted political violence.' 'Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,' he said during a news conference. He later announced on X that Minnesota's flags will fly at half-staff in honor of Hortman. 'She woke up every morning determined to make Minnesota a better place,' the Democratic governor said. State official Evans said Hoffman – who was 'in stable condition' – and his wife were shot first, and as police investigated, Hortman and her husband were shot about 90 minutes later. The gunman was able to escape during an exchange of fire with officers near Hortman's residence. Advertisement Investigators work outside the home of Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark. Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo Praetorian Guards Security Services, a home security company, described Boelter on its website as its director of security patrols. Impersonating police In both attacks, authorities believe the assailant impersonated a law enforcement officer. An image of Boelter released by the FBI showed him wearing what appeared to be a latex mask, potentially an attempt to evade identification. Flyers for the anti-Trump protests planned for Minnesota, which part of Saturday's national wave of 'No Kings' demonstrations, were found in the suspect's car. A manifesto that named numerous politicians and state officials was also discovered, police said. The roommate of Boelter, David Carlson, told local TV affiliate KARE that he had received a text message from the suspect saying he was going to be gone for a while and 'may be dead shortly.' Authorities recommended that people do not attend political rallies across Minnesota 'out of an abundance of caution.' But footage from local TV stations showed huge crowds of protesters still turned out in state capital St Paul in a demonstration that doubled as a public mourning for Hortman. 'She fought for the people, she stood with people, she was a powerful political leader,' said Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison in a speech during the protest. 'Melissa proved that you could be a politician and be a good person.' Tensions were high across the country, and in Texas authorities said they evacuated the state capitol complex after a 'credible threat' towards lawmakers planning to attend a protest there. Melissa was a true public servant who dedicated her life building a better, safer Minnesota. This is a profound loss for all who loved Melissa and Mark, and for our nation. There will be more to say, but this much is clear: we must protect our democracy from those who try to… — Gabrielle Giffords (@GabbyGiffords) June 14, 2025 In Brooklyn Park, where Hortman lived, authorities searching for the suspect lifted a shelter-in-place order Saturday afternoon, saying that there was 'reason to believe he is no longer in the area.' The US has been deeply divided since Trump returned to the White House in January. The Republican president has drawn criticism from Democrats over his harsh immigration policy, his assault on universities and the media, and a perceived flouting of limits on executive power. Former US congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who survived a shooting to the head in 2011 and is now a prominent advocate for the prevention of gun violence, said she was 'devastated' by Hortman's death. 'We must protect our democracy from those who try to destroy it with a gun,' Giffords wrote on X. With reporting from © AFP 2025 Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Sunday World
6 hours ago
- Sunday World
Manhunt continues for suspect in killings of US Democrat politician and husband
President Donald Trump has said 'such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America'.Killing of Democrat politician has been described as a politically motivated assassination.A second state lawmaker, John Hoffman and his wife, were shot multiple times. Police and law enforcement investigate the home of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who were shot multiple times earlier in Champlin, Minn., on Saturday, June 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Giovanna Dell'Orto) Law enforcement officers including local police, sheriffs and the FBI near the scene of a shooting in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, US (Alex Kormann/Star Tribune via AP) Minnesota Police and the FBI kept up a massive manhunt on Saturday evening for a gunman posing as a police officer who killed a senior Democratic state assemblywoman and her husband in what Governor Tim Walz called a "politically motivated assassination." The suspect, identified as 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, also allegedly shot and wounded a second lawmaker and his spouse, according to law enforcement officials and the FBI. He fled on foot after firing at police at the home of slain former Minnesota House speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark. Law enforcement officials said the suspect abandoned a vehicle that looked like a police SUV, in which officers found a "manifesto" and a target list of other politicians and institutions. Boelter should be considered armed and dangerous and is believed to still be in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans told a news briefing, adding that it was too soon to determine a motive. The suspect had links to evangelical ministries and claimed to be a security expert with experience in the Gaza Strip and Africa, according to online postings and public records reviewed by Reuters. Boelter also described himself online as a former employee of food service companies and was appointed in 2016 by Walz' predecessor to the advisory Governor's Workforce Development Board, according to state records. David Carlson, 59, told Reuters that he has been sharing a house in Minneapolis with Boelter for a little more than a year and last saw him on Friday night. Then about 6 a.m. (1100 GMT) on Saturday, he received a text from Boelter. "He said that he might be dead soon," said Carlson, who called police. The list found in the vehicle abandoned by the suspect contained about 70 names, including abortion providers, and lawmakers in Minnesota and other states, CNN reported, citing law enforcement sources. Officials said the Hortmans and the other victims - state Senator John Hoffman and his wife - were on the list. ABC News, also citing law enforcement officials, said the list included dozens of Minnesota Democrats including Walz, U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, Senator Tina Smith and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison. Vance Luther Boelter News in 90 Seconds - 15th June 2025 POLITICAL MOTIVATION? Melissa Hortman, a 55-year-old mother of two who had served 20 years in the Minnesota House of Representatives, was remembered by Walz as someone with "grace, compassion and tirelessness." Walz, who was Kamala Harris' Democratic vice presidential running mate in last year's election, said the gunman went to the Hortmans' residence after shooting the Hoffmans multiple times in their home in the nearby town of Champlin. The Hoffmans underwent surgery, Walz said, adding that he was "cautiously optimistic" that they would survive "this assassination attempt." "This was an act of targeted political violence," he said. "Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint." The shootings prompted reactions of shock and horror from Republican and Democratic politicians across the country and calls for dialing back increasingly divisive political rhetoric. The incident comes on the heels of a heated hearing in Congress on Thursday, in which Walz and two other Democratic governors defended their states' policies to maintain sanctuary for undocumented immigrants, drawing attacks from Republicans who support Trump's aggressive immigration crackdown. The Minnesota State Patrol chief, Colonel Christina Bogojevic, said police had found flyers in the suspect's vehicle with "No Kings" printed on them but that he had no direct links to the thousands of nationwide "No Kings" protests on Saturday against President Donald Trump's policies. The protests were timed to counter Trump's long-sought military parade in Washington. The organizing No Kings Coalition canceled all protests in Minnesota, citing a shelter-in-place order and the suspect's at-large status. Trump said he was briefed on the "terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be 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, a truly great place!" Trump said in a statement. POLICE IMPERSONATOR Hortman and her husband were shot dead in their home in Brooklyn Park, Walz said. The Minneapolis suburb is in the northern part of Hennepin County, a Democratic stronghold in a state where Republicans have made gains in recent years. Before Hortman's killing, the Minnesota House of Representatives she served in was evenly split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans. The FBI released photos of Boelter wearing a rubber mask in a police-like uniform and offered a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. Law enforcement officials said the gunman attacked the Hoffmans around 2 a.m. CDT (0700 GMT), then drove about 5 miles (8 km) to the Hortmans' residence. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said a "very intuitive" police sergeant who responded to the Hoffman attack asked colleagues to "proactively" check the Hortmans' home. The two officers arriving at the Hortmans' residence saw a police-like vehicle with lights on and were immediately fired upon by the suspect. Bruley said they returned fire, but the suspect ran. POLITICAL VIOLENCE SURGE The pre-dawn Minnesota killings come amid a surge in U.S. political attacks in recent years, underscoring the dark side of the nation's deepening political divisions. These include the attempted 2020 kidnapping of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, and a man who broke into Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's residence in April and set it on fire. In July last year, then-candidate Trump escaped an assassination attempt by a gunman while speaking at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. Trump has faced criticism from some opponents over his handling of incidents involving political violence. In one of his first moves in office earlier this year, Trump pardoned nearly everyone criminally charged with participating in the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
