Legislators Gunned Down
The Minnesota State Patrol implored the public not to participate in the planned “No Kings” protests across the North Star State in light of the attack that killed a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, while badly injuring another politician. Pronounced dead was State Rep. Melissa Hortman, 55, the former Speaker of the state House, and her husband, killed in Brooklyn Park, northwest of Minneapolis. Also shot multiple times and left wounded were State Sen. John Hoffman, 60, and his wife, who lived nearby in Champlin, Minn.
Officials revealed that the suspect behind the deadly attack had flyers for the “No Kings” rally in his vehicle. In addition, he had a massive supply of ammunition and weaponry, as well as a manifesto listing close to 70 other politicians and institutions, presumably other potential targets. Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said the suspect was using a police “badge and uniform” to manipulate his way into the lawmakers’ homes, and was even driving a car that looks like a “police vehicle” and was equipped with emergency lights.
“Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution,” state patrol said in a statement. Here’s more from the New York Post.
Sources told the Associated Press that the shooting suspect is 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, who owns a private security firm known as Praetorian Guard Security . He previously served on Minnesota’s Governor’s Workforce Development Board, appointed by Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016 and reappointed by Gov. Tim Walz in 2019. Boelter remained at large Saturday night.
It’s not clear why he targeted the two Democratic legislators, although Walz called the shooting death of Hortman “a politically motivated assassination.” Here’s more from T-SPLY.
