In the wake of the targeted shootings of two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers early Saturday morning, Minnesota State Patrol revealed that the suspect’s vehicle contained flyers bearing the phrase “No Kings.”
The discovery has raised concerns about a possible connection to anti-Trump protests planned across the state, prompting authorities to urge the public to avoid such demonstrations for safety reasons.
The suspect, described as a white male with brown hair who impersonated a police officer, is accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their Brooklyn Park home. In a separate attack in nearby Champlin, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot multiple times but are expected to survive following surgery.
The suspect, who remains at large, fled on foot after exchanging gunfire with police at Hortman’s residence, abandoning a fake police SUV equipped with emergency lights.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley confirmed that a manifesto found in the vehicle listed multiple lawmakers and officials, including Hortman and Hoffman, as targets. The “No Kings” flyers, reported by the Minnesota State Patrol, have drawn attention due to their alignment with nationwide protests scheduled for Saturday, which criticize President Trump’s policies. Authorities, including Governor Tim Walz, have called the shootings “politically motivated” acts of violence and activated the State Emergency Operations Center to support the ongoing manhunt.
The State Patrol issued a statement discouraging attendance at the “No Kings” protests, citing the overnight attacks: “Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.”
A shelter-in-place order remains in effect for a three-mile radius around Edinburgh Golf Course in Brooklyn Park, where the suspect is believed to be on foot. Residents are urged not to open their doors to lone individuals claiming to be police officers and to verify identities by calling 911. The FBI, alongside local and state law enforcement, is leading an extensive search for the gunman, who is considered armed and dangerous.
As Minnesota grapples with this tragedy, leaders across the political spectrum, including President Trump and U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, have condemned the violence, calling for unity and an end to political extremism. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover the suspect’s motives and prevent further attacks.
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: JBaron
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://www.offthepress.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.
