It is shortly after three in the morning when the silence in quiet Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, is shattered by gunfire. Just minutes later, two homes in two neighboring communities become the focus of a large-scale manhunt - a reportedly politically motivated murder of Democratic lawmakers is shaking not only Minnesota but the entire country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Democratic Representative Melissa Hortman, former Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was shot dead together with her husband Mark in their own home. Only shortly before, Democratic Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife Yvette had been severely wounded by multiple gunshots in their residence in Champlin. Both survived - so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Police are calling it targeted political violence. The perpetrator is said to have posed as a police officer and used a vehicle that looked deceptively real. Investigators found a \u201chit list\u201d in his car with nearly 70 names - including abortion providers, pro-choice activists, progressive lawmakers - and the two targeted legislators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a manifesto found in the suspect\u2019s possession, the attacker reportedly outlines a broad series of attacks against individuals he considered enemies of a \u201ctrue American order.\u201d The language used - including \u201cNo Kings,\u201d the slogan of today\u2019s nationwide anti-Trump protests - leaves no doubt about the ideological motivation. It is about the violent fight against democracy and equality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities are warning of further threats. The anti-Trump protests across the country should be avoided \u201cout of an abundance of caution,\u201d stated Colonel Christina Bogojevic of the Minnesota State Patrol. The FBI is also involved in the massive manhunt. The suspected perpetrator managed to escape during a shootout with police and is described as armed, dangerous, and possibly still disguised as a police officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to consistent media reports, the suspected perpetrator is believed to be Vance L.\u202fB. - a former advisor to the governor who was appointed to the Governor\u2019s Workforce Development Board by Tim Walz in 2019. Out of journalistic responsibility and because an official confirmation by investigators is still pending, we are deliberately withholding the full name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Political reactions have been intense. Governor Tim Walz called it \u201ca targeted attack on democracy\u201d and urged the public to \u201cstand against political violence with every means possible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a close friend of the slain Melissa Hortman, wrote on social media: \u201cWe started together. I can hardly put into words what this loss means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minnesota is in shock. And even though the motive seems clear, one central question remains: How did it come to this? An assassin posing as an officer, equipped with body armor, a taser, a police badge, and even a service vehicle - and carrying a list of nearly 70 names. It is a scenario that, even in a country accustomed to political violence, seems barely comprehensible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Federal and state authorities are working at full speed to capture the suspect. Shelter-in-place orders remain in effect in several counties. The suspect could strike again at any time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What remains is a painful warning - that words have long since become weapons, and political power these days is often negotiated at the barrel of a gun.<\/p>\n
Es ist kurz nach drei Uhr morgens, als im beschaulichen Brooklyn Park, einem Vorort von Minneapolis, die Stille von Sch\u00fcssen durchbrochen wird. Wenige Minuten sp\u00e4ter stehen zwei H\u00e4user in zwei benachbarten Gemeinden im Zentrum einer gro\u00dfangelegten Fahndung \u2013 ein mutma\u00dflich politisch motivierter Mord an demokratischen Abgeordneten ersch\u00fcttert nicht nur Minnesota, sondern das gesamte Land. Die […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4579,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"iawp_total_views":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,7,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4578","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-topstory","category-trump-usa"],"yoast_head":"\n