“Act of political violence” | An elected democrat and her husband killed, the suspect on the run

(Washington) A local elected representative of Minnesota was killed and another elected official was injured on Saturday morning in an “act of political violence”, announced Tim Walz, the governor of this state of the northern United States, adding that the suspect was on the run and actively sought.

President Donald Trump quickly denounced a “terrible” attack, the general prosecutor of the United States, Pam Bondi, insisting that “this horrible political violence will not be tolerated”.

Melissa Hortman, as well as her husband, “were killed by early shots this morning in what seems to be a politically motivated assassination,” said Tim Walz at a press conference.

“It was a deliberate act of political violence,” added Tim Walz, visibly moved.

The two elected officials, both Democrats, were the target of fire at their home in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, in the middle of the night, said the police, who is actively looking for the suspect and called on the inhabitants to stay at home.

The local demonstration planned against Donald Trump on Saturday was canceled by the organizers. Minnesota authorities have called on the population “not to participate in the demonstrations organized today, as a precaution”.

Manifest

Around two in the morning on Saturday, the shooter first targeted the local senator John Hoffman and his wife. Both have been affected by many shots, “were operated in the hospital, and” we are reasonably optimistic about the fact that they will survive this assassination attempt, “said the governor.

A “manhunt involving hundreds of police officers” is underway, according to Mark Bruley, the police chief of Brooklyn Park, in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.

Then, around 3:30 a.m., by going to check, as a precaution, the home of Melissa Hortman nearby, the police fell on the shooter, who “immediately shot them,” Drew Evans, boss of the Minnesota investigation office, told the press.

“The individual managed to escape during this shooting exchange,” he added.

A “manhunt involving hundreds of police officers” is underway, according to Mark Bruley, the police chief of Brooklyn Park, in the northern suburbs of Minneapolis.

He said that a “manifesto” with a list of elected officials had been found in the suspect’s car.

Melissa Hortman, killed with her husband Mark, was an elected official of the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2004 and was her former president.

Mother of two children, 55, she will be “irreplaceable”, reacted Tim Walz.

Melissa Hortman “had devoted her life to serve the inhabitants of Minnesota, with integrity and compassion”, wrote on X Amy Klobuchar, senator from Minnesota, saying herself “upset and horrified” by the death of her “big friend”.

Tense political climate

“A peaceful political discourse is at the foundation of our democracy. We do not settle our conflicts with pistol, “said Governor Tim Walz, former package of Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the presidential election in November 2024.

This attack on two elected officials comes in a particularly tense political climate in the United States.

President Donald Trump, rare, mobilized thousands of soldiers from demonstrations against his migration policy in Los Angeles. And this Saturday, major demonstrations are organized to oppose his policy, when he owes him later in the day a rare military parade in Washington, the first for more than 30 years in the American capital.

The United States has also recently undergone several targeted attacks on its political leaders. Donald Trump escaped an assassination attempt last July during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

In 2022, Nancy Pelosi’s husband, then Democratic head of the House of Representatives, had been attacked with a hammer at his home in California.