Double Tragedy: Two Democratic Legislators Shot in Minnesota
Minnesota braces for potential political repercussions following the fatal shooting of a prominent Democratic lawmaker and her husband, deemed as a politically motivated homicide at their residence.
Y'know what, mate? Things just got real ugly in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Two Democratic lawmakers in Minnesota and their spouses found themselves smack dab in the middle of a politically-charged shooting spree overnight. State Rep Melissa Hortman and her hubby, Mark, didn't make it, while State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, are hanging on by a thread—critical condition and all that stuff Governor Tim Walz verified in a Saturday pressie.
Governor Walz straight-up called Hortman's demise a "political assassination." Tough words, but he remembered her as a tenacious public servant, the one with the winning smile, wit, and unwavering dedication to the people of Minnesota.
Senator Hoffman and Yvette got clipped multiple times at home in neighboring Champlin. The governor said they're still bed-bound in hospital, and officials are being optimistic about their recovery.
Word is both shootings went down in suburban cities within the Minneapolis metro.
Stay Indoors, Man!
The Brooklyn Park Police Department slapped a shelter-in-place order on residents within a three-mile radius of the Edinburgh Golf Course. Be sure to keep your doors locked and peepers peeled for only two uniformed cops when answering the door—the suspect's reportedly been playing dress-up with a badge.
The State Emergency Operations Center's been activated, and local officials are keeping their eyes peeled for danger-prone situations. Walz warned the situation to be as fluid as a Brit's pint at last call, and potentially deadly.
Mounds View Mayor Spills the Beans
Looks like the area's reps got a safety alert post-shootings. Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who survived a 2011 targeted shooting herself, fired off a statement labeling the attacks an affront to American democracy. Yeah, she knows a thing or two about the harsh realities of targeted violence.
Senator Mark Johnson, the Minnesota Senate's Republican leader, shared his heartache over the attacks on Democratic lawmakers. Johnson's response? "Efforts to suppress free speech and democracy will not go unopposed."
For the Curious Task-Master
- The shootings appear to be politically motivated, with the suspect targeting outspoken pro-choice advocates.
- The perpetrator? None other than 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, CEO of Red Lion Group and Praetorian Guard Security Services of DR Congo. He's still skipping town.
- Here's the latest on Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette: Alert and still in the hospital for surgery. Fingers crossed for their recovery!
Know More, Know Smarter
Straight from the horse's mouth: StarTribune and CBS News for up-to-the-minute updates.
- The shootings in Minnesota seem to be motivated by politics, with the suspect reportedly targeting outspoken pro-choice advocates.
- The latest information on Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, indicates that they are alert and still hospitalized, undergoing surgery for their injuries.
- In the wake of the shootings, the defi market, finance, war-and-conflicts, politics, general-news, and crime-and-justice sectors have been discussing the potential implications of politically motivated violence on democratic institutions and public safety.
