A white man with brown hair dressed as a police officer shot and killed Democratic State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park. But the assassin was not done.
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He then drove to Champlin, another suburb of Minneapolis, and shot Democratic Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife Yvette multiple times in their home. The Senator and his wife are alive and in critical condition.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz commented on the shooting saying:
"I’ve been briefed this morning on an ongoing situation involving targeted shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are on the scene." He went on to say this is “an act of targeted political violence.”
A senior state official said investigators “have reason to believe” the gunman also had planned to target one of the “No Kings” rallies planned today. These are demostrations taking place across the country in opposition to President Trump.
This assassination is shocking but it is hardly surprising. Not if you’ve been paying attention.
Rep. Hortman served as the speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives until recently. And she was instrumental in helping Democrats pass policies on abortion rights, marijuana legalization, and medical leave. Sen. Hoffman chairs the Senate’s Human Services Committee. He has said he strives for “collaboration across the aisle.”
Hortman has played a central role in Minnesota's pursuit of racial justice, actively participating in the negotiation and enactment of vital police reform legislation. Half a decade after the killing of George Floyd, her efforts continue to shape the state. Significant reforms include prohibitions on neck restraints and chokeholds, banning "warrior-style" training, and the creation of an independent body to investigate police misconduct.
Under Hortman's guidance, the Minnesota House DFL, influenced by the People of Color and Indigenous Caucus, also recognized racism as a public health crisis. They established a Select Committee on Racial Justice, and a considerable number of its proposals have since been codified into law.
Trump called the acts “terrible” and said, “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America.”
Yet, many believe the political climate he created is the reason for these kinds of acts of violence. People who disagree with Trump and his MAGA supporters politically are not just looked at as wrong by them, they are talked about like they need to be eradicated.
This is the danger of the intense political polarization we are living in. It is not just bad for our country. It can lead people to commit these kinds of acts of violence.
Straight From 
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