Park Brooklyn, Minnesota (AP) –
Hundreds of law officers were launched through a suburb of Minneapolis on Saturday in the endeavor of a man that the authorities say that a police officer fired at democratic deputies at her home, in what the governor of the state, Tim and Alzal, described as a “assassination with a political motive.” The authorities said that the suspect shot and wounded the second legislator and believed that he was trying to escape from the area.
Former House Speaker Melissa Hortmann and her husband, Mark, were killed at their home in Brooklyn Park. Senator John Hoffman, who is also a democratic, and his wife, Evit, was injured in the title of Champlin, about 9 miles (about 15 km).
Drew Evans, the supervisor of the Minnesota Criminal Fear Office, told a press conference in the afternoon that the authorities were looking for Vans Powlet, 57, and he has not yet been arrested.
The authorities showed a photo of Pliter wearing the cowboy hat, which was taken on Saturday and asked the audience to report the viewer. Evans said the investigators also got the video.
No details of a possible motivation.
Boelter is a former politician who served in the same state’s workforce development
In the early morning, the attacks prompted warnings to other elected officials across the state and canceling the “Kings” demonstrations planned against President Donald Trump. The authorities said that the suspect has “no kings” for the pamphlets in his car and the writings of mentioning the names of the victims, as well as legislators and other officials, although they were unable to say whether he had any other specific goals.
An official in Minnesota state told Associated Press that the writings of the suspect also contain information targeting prominent legislators who were explicit in favor of abortion rights. The official spoke on the condition that his identity is not disclosed because the investigation is continuing.
The shootings occurred at a time when political leaders throughout the country were attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions.
“We must all, in Minnesota and all over the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” Walz, a democratic, told a press conference. “Those responsible for this will be responsible.”
A person familiar with the AP issue said, and it was armed with law enforcement agents many AK firearms from the suspect’s vehicle, and he believed that he was still armed with a pistol. The person could not discuss the details of the investigation publicly and spoke, provided that his identity was not disclosed.
Launching overnight
Police responded to reports of fire at Hoffman’s house shortly after 2 in the morning, and the Champlin police found that the couple was multiplely injured.
After seeing the victims, the police sent officers to check Hortman’s house. There they faced what seemed to be a police car and a man wearing an officer at the door, and left the house.
“When the officers faced him, the individual immediately shot the officers who exchanged fire, and the suspect retreated to the house,” said Brooklyn Park Police chief.
Multiple bullet holes can be seen in the front door of the Hoffmann house.
Trump said in a White House statement that the FBI would join the investigation.
“Our public prosecutor, Bam Bondi, and the Federal Investigation Office, are investigating the situation, and they will sue anyone involved to the maximum of the law. It will not be tolerated with such horrific violence in the United States of America. God bless the Great Minnesota, a really great place!”
Two democratic lawmakers targeted
Hortmann, 55, has been the Supreme Democratic Commander in the State Council since 2017. Democrats in the House of Representatives led in a three -week session at the beginning of this year’s session in a struggle for power with the Republicans. According to the Power Participation Agreement, it imitated the clothing to the best Republic, Representative Lisa Demouth, and took the chair president Emerita.
Hortman used its position as a spokesperson in 2023 to help in the extension of protection for abortion rights, including legislation to unify the position of Minnesota as a shelter for patients from restricted countries traveling to the state to request abortion – to protect the service providers who serve them.
Walzz described it as “a huge government employee, a building and a giant in Minnesota every day, determined to make this country a better place.”
He said, “It is not dispensed with.”
Hortman and her husband had two adult children.
Hoffman, 60, was elected for the first time in 2012 and was head of the Senate Humanitarian Services Committee, which oversees one of the largest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter.
Colonel Christina Bogogvic asked people “out of an abundance of caution” by not attending protests “No Kings” on Saturday. Bogjevic said the authorities have no direct evidence that the protests will be targeted, but they have noticed “no kings” leaflets in the car. The organizers announced that all protests have been canceled in the state.
Suspect
Boelter was appointed to the Workforce Development Council by GOV at the time. Mark Dayton in 2016 and then was re -was reassured in 2019 by the current ruler to a four -year term that ended in 2023, as the state records appear.
Corporate records show that the wife of Boelter was presented to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same island’s green mail address listed for the couple. On a website to work, the wife of Boelter was listed as a president and executive director, while being included as a director of security patrols.
The home page says it provides armed security for property and events and is characterized by a picture of the four -wheel drive vehicles drawn in black style and silver tone similar to the police vehicle, with a light strip across the ceiling and drawing “Brighturian” across the doors. Another image shows a man wearing black tactical equipment with a military -style helmet and a ballistic jacket bearing the name of the company through the introduction.
The online biography says that Potler is a security contractor in the Middle East and Africa, as well as previous administrative roles in companies in Minnesota.
Huge search
Hundreds of policemen and honorable deputies of departments in the region, some of them are in tactical equipment with weapons similar to the attack, spread across the city.
An alert request was sent to the mobile phones of people in the morning from people to mention in their place while the police looked for a “armed and dangerous” suspect. Brooklyn Park raised the shelter order in the afternoon, saying they had a reason to believe that the suspect was no longer in the area.
The initial alert said: “The suspect is a white male, brown hair, wearing a black shield on the blue shirt and blue pants and may distort himself as the law enforcement. Do not come close. Call the number 911.”
Some road barriers are prepared to stop and check vehicles.
“This is crazy, someone follows the actors. This is a mistake. I hope they will hold them,” said Douglas Thompson, a 62 -year -old Proclin Park.
Minnesota House Lisa Demouth, a Republic of Cold Spring, described the attack as “evil” and said she was “sad behind words” because of the killings.
“With the ongoing law enforcement response and the details are still arising, I will ask all Minnesotan to raise the victims of this horrific attack, as well as law enforcement employees who are still working to arrest the perpetrators,” Demouth said in a statement.
Political violence
Fires are the latest in a series of violent attacks against legislators across parties in recent years.
In April, the suspect set fire to the home of the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish Easter. The suspect told law enforcement that he intends to overcome Shapiro with a small heavy hammer if he finds it, according to court documents.
In July 2024, Trump was grazed on the ear by one of the bullets that killed the Trump supporter. Two months later, a man with a rifle was discovered in some shrubs near the golf course for the president in Florida and was arrested by secret service agents.
Other high -ranking followers in recent years included a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at their home in San Francisco and the 2020 plot by government anti -government extremists to kidnap the governor of Democrat Grechen and pass through her vacation and start a civil war.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he had asked the Capitol police to “increase security” immediately in Minnesota Sensor. Amy Klopochar and Tina Smith, both of whom are Democrats.
Schumer also asked the majority leader John Thun, a Republican of South Dakota, to study a conference on the members of the Senate on Member Security.
“The condemnation of violence is important, but it is not enough.
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The Associated Press Giovana Delorto in Champlin, Minnesota, Steve Carnovsky in Minneapolis, Caroline Thompson in Boufalo, New York, Michael Bescker, and Alana Durkin Richer in Washington.