MINNEAPOLIS — A chilling wave of violence rocked Minnesota on Friday as Democratic state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in what officials are calling a “politically motivated assassination.” Governor Tim Walz confirmed their deaths and condemned the attack as a direct strike against public servants, as reported by BBC News.
In a related shooting, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also wounded. Walz said he remains “cautiously optimistic” about their recovery.
The suspect, believed to have impersonated a police officer, fled after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement. Authorities have identified political motivations, noting that fliers for the “No Kings” anti-Trump movement were discovered in the suspect’s vehicle.
The shootings occurred in the neighboring suburbs of Champlin and Brooklyn Park, just outside Minneapolis. Police have issued a shelter-in-place order for Brooklyn Park as the manhunt continues.
President Donald Trump responded swiftly, denouncing the shootings as a “targeted attack against state lawmakers,” and warned that such “horrific violence will not be tolerated.”
In the aftermath, protest organizers with the “No Kings” movement—who had planned demonstrations across Minnesota ahead of a military parade in Washington—announced the cancellation of all local events. Citing safety concerns and guidance from state authorities, organizers said their “hearts are with the victims and their families” and pledged to ensure peaceful demonstrations continue elsewhere across the country.
The parade in Washington, scheduled to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army and Trump’s birthday, has already drawn controversy for its use of military hardware on U.S. soil.
As security tightens and the political climate grows more volatile, Minnesota mourns—and braces for what comes next.
