Governor Walz urged residents to avoid protests, stating, “We are not a country that settles our differences at gunpoint.”
U.S. political leaders are calling for calm after a deadly shooting in Minnesota that left former state Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband dead, and state Senator John Hoffman and his wife seriously injured.
Governor Tim Walz described the incident as a “politically-motivated assassination.” The attack is part of a broader rise in politically driven violence, including the recent killing of Israeli embassy staffers in Washington.
In response, bipartisan leaders, including California’s Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas and GOP Minority Leader James Gallagher, urged Americans to “take down the temperature.” Minnesota’s congressional delegation, led by Sens. Tina Smith, Amy Klobuchar, and Rep. Tom Emmer, condemned the violence in a joint statement.
Governor Walz urged residents to avoid protests, stating, “We are not a country that settles our differences at gunpoint.”
Governors across party lines echoed his message, emphasizing unity and the importance of preserving democracy through peaceful discourse.