❓WHAT HAPPENED: A political assassination in Minnesota left two people dead, including state Rep. Melissa Hortman (D), and two others injured, sparking condemnation from President Donald J. Trump.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Victims include Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark; suspect Vance Luther Boelter has been captured. President Trump and Governor Tim Walz (D) have also been involved in the aftermath.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The shootings occurred early Saturday in Minnesota. Governor Tim Walz addressed the incident on June 14, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place.” – Donald Trump
🎯IMPACT: The incident has heightened concerns over political violence, with federal law enforcement involved in the investigation.
President Donald J. Trump said on Sunday that he “may” call Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) following a political assassination that shocked the state. Trump, who condemned the violence, described Walz as a “terrible governor” and “grossly incompetent.” Speaking to ABC’s Rachel Scott, Trump stated, “Well, it’s a terrible thing. I think he’s a terrible governor. I think he’s a grossly incompetent person. But I may, I may call him, I may call other people, too.”
The state of Minnesota is grappling with the aftermath of two shootings that claimed the lives of state Representative Melissa Hortman (D), a former speaker of the state House, and her husband, Mark. The attack also left a state senator and his wife injured. Authorities report that the suspect, 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter, disguised himself as a police officer. Boelter was taken into custody late Sunday night after a lengthy manhunt.
Governor Walz labeled the shootings an “act of targeted political violence.” A source close to Walz revealed that he and Vice President J.D. Vance have been in communication regarding the incident. The source added, “The Governor expressed appreciation for the ongoing coordination between federal law enforcement and Minnesota public safety officials.” However, another source noted that Trump had not yet contacted Walz.
Notably, Walz himself has been accused of turning up the political temperature regarding violent political rhetoric. The National Pulse reported in May that the Minnesota Democrat had compared U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to Adolf Hitler’s Gestapo during a commencement speech.
The FBI and the Attorney General have launched an investigation, with the White House pledging to prosecute anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Police discovered a list in the suspect’s vehicle containing the names of dozens of Minnesota Democrats, raising concerns regarding the extent and scale of Boelter’s additional planned acts of terrorism.
This tragic event comes amid increasing worries over political violence in the U.S., following incidents such as the killing of Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, an arson attack at Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home, and last summer’s two attempted assassinations of Trump. President Trump commented, “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place.”
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