President Donald Trump says he has been briefed on the targeted shooting of two Democrat lawmakers in Minnesota, calling it “horrific violence” that “will not be tolerated” in the United States.
Why It Matters
The president’s comments come shortly after Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced that Minnesota Democrat state Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early Saturday morning in an act of “targeted political violence.”
The gunman, who remains at large, had targeted the home of another Democratic lawmaker, state Senator John Hoffman, shortly before the attack on the Hortmans. Hoffman and his wife Yvette were shot multiple times and underwent surgery.
What To Know
In a statement, Trump said the deadly shooting “appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers.”
Both lawmakers were affiliated with the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL), with Hortman serving as the DFL Caucus leader. She served 11 terms in the state House, previously serving as speaker from 2019 until early 2025. Hoffman is in his fourth term in the Senate and chairs the Senate Human Services Committee.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform. “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
The violent early morning incident involved multiple gunshots, with the suspect opening fire on both the victims and responding officers. The suspect was “not a real police officer, this is somebody that clearly had been impersonating a police officer,” Brooklyn Park police chief Mark Bruley said at the Saturday press conference.
Hoffman and his wife were shot around 2 a.m., the Champlin Police Department said in a press release.
“Immediate life-saving efforts were rendered by responding officers until Allina Health emergency personnel arrived and transported both victims to a nearby hospital,” the release states.
At approximately 3:45 a.m. local time, the local Brooklyn Park police were called and “proactively” went to Hortman’s house where they found the two victims shot, Bruley said.
Residents of the areas surrounding Brooklyn Park are advised to shelter in place as the shooter is still at large.
Officials said during the Saturday press release, “Right now, we are in an extensive manhunt involving hundreds and hundreds of police officers and SWAT teams,” officials said at the press conference.
News of the shooting came on an already politically charged day, coinciding with Trump’s 79th birthday, the U.S. Army’s 250th anniversary parade, and mass nationwide planned anti-Trump, “No Kings” protests.
Trump has maintained that the “great military parade” will go on “rain or shine.” The organizers of the “No Kings” protest in northeast Minneapolis have canceled the demonstration.
Minnesota State Patrol warned the public about attending any of the “No Kings” protests, writing in an X, formerly Twitter, post on Saturday: “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.”
The post was accompanied by a photo of the flyers that police say were “inside the vehicle of the suspect in today’s shootings.”
Walz wrote in a Saturday X post: “Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended.”
What People Are Saying
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an X post on Saturday: “I am closely monitoring developments in Minnesota after what appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. The FBI is on the ground investigating this case alongside state and local partners. This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Former Representative Gabrielle Giffords, an Arizona Democrat and gun safety advocate, wrote in an X post on Saturday: “I’m devastated to learn that my friend, Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, were killed in last night’s shooting.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, wrote in an X post Saturday: “I am heartbroken and horrified by the tragic loss of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were taken from us in an act of violence. Melissa was a good friend and we started in politics at the same time and were always there for each other. She was a true public servant to the core, dedicating her life to serving Minnesotans with integrity and compassion. Melissa’s legacy will endure, but today we grieve deeply. John’s and my prayers are with their children, their loved ones, and all who are mourning this devastating loss.”
Senator Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, wrote in an X post Saturday: “Horrible news in our neighbor to the north/MN w the targeting of public servants Violence is never the answer I hope suspect is caught & swiftly brought to justice.”
Zohran Mamdani, Democratic New York state Assemblymember who is running for New York City mayor, wrote in an X post Saturday: “Awful news from Minnesota this morning. My thoughts are with the families of Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, and I pray for the recovery of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. Political violence is unacceptable.”
What Happens Next?
Anyone who sees any suspicious activity, “especially involving individuals impersonating law enforcement, please report it immediately,” Jacobson said.
This remains an active investigation, and thousands of people have been told to shelter in place in the city of Brooklyn Park.
Update 6/14/25, 1:33 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
President Donald Trump speaks during an event to sign a bill blocking California’s rule banning the sale of new gas-powered cars by 2035, in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Washington.
AP Photo/Alex Brandon
