Update, 9:55 a.m. June 16, 2025.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The person who has been suspected and accused of attacking these people was found and arrested yesterday. I see that as very good news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Investigation into what happened, how it happened, and who all (if any, besides the accused) was involved is, I gather, still happening. I see that as good news, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I also see that I made at least one mistake while writing this post, mixing up the Hortman and Hoffman names. Small wonder, that: I write it in a hurry Saturday morning. I’ve marked the errors with Meanwhile, at least one politico has said something daft, unnecessary, and \u2014 well, that’s par for the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, I am emphatically not happy about what happened, I’m glad that the suspect has been arrested and is still alive, and haven’t decided whether or not I should spend more time, writing about these killings and the issues involved. I’ve lived in Minnesota for most of my life. My home state doesn’t often make international news, and I’m not happy about why it’s making headlines today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s not all bad news. One couple is dead, but another may survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “On June 14, 2025, Melissa Hortman, a representative in the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband were shot and killed in their home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. John Hoffman, a senator in the Minnesota Senate, and his wife were also in their home in nearby Champlin. Hoffman and his wife were injured, but officials were ‘cautiously optimistic’ they would survive….” Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota, are on the north side of Minnesota’s Twin Cities: Minneapolis and Saint Paul.1<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m guessing that the survivors are still alive because police showed up, checking on their welfare, after the first killings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “What we know about the cop-impersonating gunman who killed Minnesota lawmaker<\/a>” “…According to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans, the Hoffmans were shot around 2 a.m. when a man impersonating a police officer showed up to their house in Champlin Park and shot them both multiple times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Then, around 3:35 a.m., the suspect went to the Hortman home in Brooklyn Park and fatally shot Speaker Hortman and her husband before exchanging gunfire with police….”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Seems that when police learned that the That’s arguably a mix of good news and bad news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Good news, the Bad news: by then, two people were dead and another two seriously injured; and whoever’s responsible was impersonating a police officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “…What we know about the suspect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “The suspect is a white male with brown hair. He was wearing black body armor and dressed as a police officer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “The suspect was driving a vehicle that looked ‘exactly like a police vehicle’ and he was wearing a vest that mimicked a police uniform, as well as displaying a Taser and police badge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “‘No question that if they were in this room you would assume that they were a police officer,’ [Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark] Bruley said, acknowledging that investigators have ‘people of interest that they are looking for.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Inside the suspect’s vehicle was a manifesto that identified ‘many lawmakers and other officials,’ including Hortman and Hoffman, according to Bruley….” What’s going on in Minnesota’s Metro isn’t going to quiet down any time soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m glad I live more than two hours down the road from that area. Even so, it’s uncomfortably close to home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bad as the situation is, it could be worse. So far, no politico has said anything outrageously crazy about what’s happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see that last item as good \u2014 and refreshing \u2014 news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’m not, putting it mildly, happy about what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Killing those people was quite simply wrong. Murder, taking an innocent human life, is a bad idea and we shouldn’t do it. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2268-2269)<\/p>\n\n\n\n There’s also the matter of impersonating a police officer. I see that as a preying on the trust we should have for those in authority. Again, a bad idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n My wife mentioned what had happened before lunch, and said it’d be a good idea to pray for the folks involved. I think she’s right, so I’ll be doing that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I’ve talked about life, death, politics, and making sense, before:<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>1<\/sup> Minnesota, places and people:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Update, 9:55 a.m. June 16, 2025. The person who has been suspected and accused of attacking these people was found and arrested yesterday. I see that as very good news. Investigation into what happened, how it happened, and who all … Continue reading strikethrough<\/s>, and added a corrected name in bold<\/strong> in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brian H. Gill<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Adrienne Vogt, Leinz Vales, Michelle Watson, Rebekah Reiss, CNN (June 14, 2025)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Danai Nesta Kupembam BBC News (June 14, 2025)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n
(2025 Minnesota lawmaker shootings<\/a>, Wikipedia (ca. 11:00 a.m. June 14, 2025))<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n\n
Joe Nelson, Bring Me The News (10:48 a.m. June 14, 2025)<\/p>\n\n\n\nHoffmans<\/s> had been killed, they sent officers to check on the Hortmans<\/s>: and met the alleged suspect coming out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Good News, Bad News<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Hortmans<\/s> Hoffmans<\/strong> were still alive and started getting medical treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
(“What we know about the cop-impersonating gunman who killed Minnesota lawmaker<\/a>” , Joe Nelson, Bring Me The News (10:48 a.m. June 14, 2025))<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<\/a>Bad Ideas and a Good Idea<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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(January 20, 2025)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
(December 10, 2024)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
(September 21, 2024)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
(July 27, 2024)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
(February 19, 2024)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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