Minnesota police urge public to avoid ‘No Kings’ protest after Democratic lawmakers shot – live
Summary of the day so far
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Thousands of people have begun demonstrating across the US as part of the “No Kings” protests. Millions have been expected to turn up for events against the Trump administration at roughly 2,000 sites nationwide.
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A Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband were killed, and another Democratic state lawmaker and his wife were shot, in the early hours of Saturday.
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Police are searching for the suspected gunman. The Associated Press is reporting the shooter is a 57-year-old man.
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Minnesota police are urging people to avoid “No Kings” demonstrations in the state after flyers for the protests were found in the suspect’s vehicle.
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Both Democrats and Republicans were quick to condemn the violence in Minnesota, with Donald Trump saying in a statement “such horrific violence will not be tolerated.”
Protests are still getting under way across the US.
And later, Trump will attend a military parade to mark the 250th anniversary of the US army – which happens to coincide with his 79th birthday.
Key events
Back to LA for a moment – my colleagues on the west coast have been tirelessly covering the Los Angeles Ice protests all week. As Andrew pointed out, the flags in LA have become a major component of the protests and the back-and-forth between demonstrators and the Trump administration.
But what do they really mean?
My colleague Robert Mackey unpacked the meaning of the foreign flags at the LA protests. In brief:
Observers with a more nuanced understanding of the Los Angeles communities being targeted in these raids, and of the nation’s history as a refuge for immigrants, suggest that the flags are not intended to signal allegiance to any foreign government but rather to signal solidarity with immigrants from those places and, for Americans with roots in those countries, to express pride in their heritage.
You can read more about the foreign flags in Robert’s explainer:
Authorities looking for 57-year-old man in connection with Minnesota shooting – AP
Law enforcement officials are searching for a 57-year-old man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, officials told the Associated Press (AP).
Two people familiar with the matter identified the suspect being sought to the AP as Vance Boelter. The people could not publicly discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.
And right on cue, some very flag-filled photos from Los Angeles are coming through the newswires.
LA protesters take to the streets with flags galore after a week of tension
Andrew Gumbel
After a week of Trump administration officials and their allies seizing on the Mexican flags waved by Los Angeles street protesters and saying they were symptoms of a foreign invasion, the demonstration gathering strength this morning outside LA city hall was awash in stars-and-stripes American flags.
Many brought them from home, either waving them or wrapping them around their shoulders. Others took them from volunteers handing them out at sites across the rally.
“Our flag has been conscripted by Maga, as though theirs is the only true patriotism,” one volunteer, mental health therapist Laura Gustavson, said. “We’re saying we’re taking the flag back. It’s part of our constitutional representation.”
Some still brought Mexican flags. Others had hybrid flags with one country’s image on the front and another on the back.
“I want to represent my Mexican culture, but I’m an American as well,” said Leila Sanchez, a 17-year-old high school student whose flag bore the images side by side.
Others still carried upside-down US flags.
“The flag upside down is a sign of distress, and this country is in distress,” protester Greg Champion, a behavioral health technician, explained.
We’ll bring you more lines on the events unfolding in Minnesota as we get them – but for now, we’ll pivot back to other “No Kings” demonstrations across the US.
You can also read deeper about the Minnesota shootings below:
‘Unspeakable tragedy’: lawmakers condemn political violence in Minnesota
A gunman who killed a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband, and wounded a second lawmaker and his wife, prompted swift responses from both Democrats and Republicans.
Minnesota state governor Tim Walz said: “An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota – my good friend and colleague, speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination.”
US attorney general Pam Bondi: “I am closely monitoring developments in Minnesota after what appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. The FBI is on the ground investigating this case alongside state and local partners. This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
US senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat: “This is a stunning act of violence. I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.”
Republican House speaker Mike Johnson: “Such horrific political violence has no place in our society, and every leader must unequivocally condemn it.”
The No Kings coalition that organized protests across the US today is cancelling all demonstrations in Minnesota that have not already started after two lawmakers were shot, Reuters reports.
Indivisible said on Bluesky: “Governor Walz has recommended that we cancel No Kings events across Minnesota because the individual who assassinated a Democratic lawmaker is still at large.”
Governor Tim Walz further urged on Bluesky that “people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended”.
The aforementioned post on X from Minnesota state patrol included a photo of “No Kings” flyers.
In another post, the police said: “The photo is of flyers inside the vehicle of the suspect in today’s shootings.”
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution. pic.twitter.com/7hFccnrQUT
— MN State Patrol (@MnDPS_MSP) June 14, 2025
Minnesota police urge public to not participate in protest after lawmaker killed
The Minnesota state patrol on social media told the public to stay home today instead of participating in the “No Kings” rallies across the state.
In a post on X, the agency wrote:
Given the targeted shootings of state lawmakers overnight, we are asking the public to not attend today’s planned demonstrations across Minnesota out of an abundance of caution.
Trump briefed on Democratic lawmaker killed in Minnesota
Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the “terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against State Lawmakers”, Reuters reports.
The president said in a statement: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
Democratic lawmaker killed in Minnesota in ‘politically motivated’ attacks
Elsewhere in US politics today, a prominent Democratic state lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband were killed in what governor Tim Walz is calling a “politically motivated assassination”.
State representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, died on Saturday, Walz confirmed. Law enforcement said the gunman, who had been impersonating a police officer, is still at large.
You can read more here:
Republican governors warn public and prepare national guard before mass demonstrations
Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri are mobilizing national guard troops to help law enforcement manage the mass demonstrations against Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports.
Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin told reporters there would be “zero tolerance” for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and “if you violate the law, you’re going to be arrested”.
Missouri governor Mike Kehoe vowed to take a proactive approach and not to “wait for chaos to ensue”.
Nebraska governor Jim Pillen also signed an emergency proclamation on Friday to activate the national guard, a move his office called “a precautionary measure”.
Then, of course, there’s Florida – governor Ron DeSantis has not shied away from his disdain for the protests, even saying earlier this week that people have a right to hit demonstrators with their cars if they block roadways. There is a march that will go to the gates of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, and the governor has already said the “line is very clear” and not to cross it. DeSantis has not yet, however, made moves to activate the state’s national guard.
