As news broke that a mass shooter with a high-powered rifle had opened fire on people in a skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, CNN anchor Erin Burnett and CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller both speculated that the gunman was “possibly white,” catalyzing anger on social media.
Surveillance images quickly surfaced after the mass shooting, showing the dark-complexioned, mustachioed gunman walking into the building at 345 Park Avenue with a rifle, wearing sunglasses and dark clothes. The Daily Wire is not publishing the gunman’s name due to a company policy against contributing to the unintentional glorification of mass shooters.
“People don&#8217;t walk around with guns like that. But was his face visible? I mean, do they — they have any idea at this point who he is?” Burnett asked Miller.
“They do not know who he is,” Miller stated. “They know he is a male, possibly white. He&#8217;s wearing sunglasses. He appears to have a mustache. And that picture has been distributed to every police officer in New York City particularly, has been sent to the phones of the search teams inside that building because whenever they encounter a group of people, the first thing they have to figure out is, is that individual among these people hiding among victims or pretending to be an office worker, because one thing you don&#8217;t want to have happen is to have this kind of cordon where you&#8217;re trying to evacuate people in groups as you can get them to a safe corridor and have this person slip out with them.&#8221;
“Male, possibly white, mustache, sunglasses in that building,” Burnett repeated. Later. She repeated, “There were a few things that really stood out there among them that they did get. They do know what he looks like. Sunglasses, mustache, male, possibly white &#8230;”
Ironically, later in the broadcast Miller stated, “One of the cautions here, as you know, from having done so many of these, Erin, unfortunately, is that we always have to be mindful of the idea that between people who are watching, listening information that&#8217;s being sent over social media, that we have to be a little bit guarded on specifics.”
“You share what you can from your sources. Some of it obviously, you must protect,” Burnett stated.
Social media slammed Burnett. One post stated, “CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was ‘possibly white.’ Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy.”
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A devastating shooting occurred in New York City, leaving 4 dead, including a police officer.
CNN anchor Erin Burnett stated live on the air that the obviously not white man, quote, was “possibly white.” Embarrassing attempt to politicize this tragedy. <a href="https://t.co/3T2dGA08ud">pic.twitter.com/3T2dGA08ud</a>
&mdash; Armstrong Williams 🇺🇸 (@Arightside) <a href="https://twitter.com/Arightside/status/1950138865412411758?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Another post stated, “@ErinBurnett  knows exactly what she’s doing here. Incredible misinformation and irresponsible, purposeful race-baiting. If you don’t know for sure, you don’t say it. Unless, of course your job is to mislead, stir-up confusion, obfuscation and to bury facts.”
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/ErinBurnett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ErinBurnett</a> knows exactly what she’s doing here. Incredible misinformation and irresponsible, purposeful race-baiting. If you don’t know for sure, you don’t say it. Unless, of course your job is to mislead, stir-up confusion, obfuscation and to bury facts. <a href="https://t.co/JMRDxTg7qJ">pic.twitter.com/JMRDxTg7qJ</a>
&mdash; Ross Dyer (@RossDyerTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/RossDyerTV/status/1949984927706931566?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pqJdFP-etb0?si=eEmJ9lIDY7nkpol7" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
One month before the 2024 election, Burnett remained silent when her guest Democratic strategist guest, Aisha Mills, bridled, “As a black lesbian who Donald Trump doesn’t believe has genes as good as his, is he going to attempt to exterminate me?” and railed to CNN senior political commentator David Urban, “I’m not going to be lectured by some white man who doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Urban responded, “Shame on you, Aisha,” prompting Burnett to state, “Let me just say I appreciate — OK, I appreciate both of you, I know it&#8217;s obviously getting heated. I think — I think what people appreciate about both of you is you mean what you say and you say what you mean. You&#8217;re both very genuine people.”
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CNN guest: “I’m not going to be lectured by some white man…”
The blatant racism isn’t the most noteworthy part, it’s Erin Burnett refusing to condemn it on her own show. 
 <a href="https://t.co/lQmsYxdB2P">pic.twitter.com/lQmsYxdB2P</a>
&mdash; Cabot Phillips (@cabot_phillips) <a href="https://twitter.com/cabot_phillips/status/1844188406181777895?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
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2014 Concordia Summit – Day 1

‘Purposeful Race-Baiting’: CNN’s Burnett Slammed For Saying NYC Mass Shooter Was ‘Possibly White’

Erin Burnett

Manhattan

Mass Shooting

Media

New York

New York City

Politics

Racism

Shooting

A gunman shot multiple people in a New York City office building on Monday before turning the gun on himself.
The gunman killed at least one police officer and injured another. Four people inside the office building, a skyscraper in midtown Manhattan, were killed, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/active-shooter-report-prompts-massive-police-response-midtown-manhattan-business-district">Fox News</a>. The gunman reportedly died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch confirmed that the gunman is dead, <a href="https://x.com/NYPDPC/status/1949981438842941663">posting</a> on X that &#8220;the scene has been contained and the lone shooter has been neutralized.&#8221;
Officials have tentatively identified the shooter as a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/us/live-news/new-york-city-midtown-manhattan-shooting-07-28-25#cmdnsyogl001o3b6nhh3p0qqa">CNN</a>.
Security camera footage from the office building appears to have caught images of the shooter as he was walking inside. The gunman appeared to be carrying a rifle.
He began shooting in the lobby of the building before traveling to another floor and shooting again. He eventually made his way to the 33rd floor of the building where he fatally shot himself, sources told Fox News.
Former FBI agent Stuart Kaplan theorized that the gunman had some connection to one of the businesses operating inside the skyscraper. &#8220;He knew exactly where he wanted to be and where he wanted to go,&#8221; Kaplan <a href="https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1949985849522721153">said</a>.
The office building the gunman entered houses Blackstone and the NFL headquarters. New York City police and FBI agents swarmed the area on Monday afternoon amid reports of an active shooter.
Local and federal officials began posting updates as videos from the response rocketed across social media.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted a <a href="https://x.com/nycmayor/status/1949971560330059818">warning</a> to social media: “New Yorkers: there is an active shooter investigation taking place in Midtown right now. Please take proper safety precautions if you are in vicinity (sic) and do not go outside if you are near Park Avenue and East 51st Street.”
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino posted to X that the FBI joined the law enforcement response.
“FBI New York Field Office management personnel and agents are responding to provide support at the active crime scene in Manhattan,” Bongino <a href="https://x.com/FBIDDBongino/status/1949970080294449243">said</a>.

Officer Dead, Multiple Injured After Gunman Storms Manhattan Office Building

Crime

U.S.

Two people were <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/2-shot-1-dead-university-mexico-albuquerque-suspect/story?id=124066683">shot</a>, one of whom died, at a student housing complex at the University of New Mexico on its main campus in Albuquerque on Friday morning. The college has roughly 23,000 students on its flagship campus and is the largest university in the state.
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Police are searching for a suspect after a shooting at the University of New Mexico campus left one person dead and another injured <a href="https://t.co/mZ81M6DPoY">https://t.co/mZ81M6DPoY</a>
&mdash; The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) <a href="https://twitter.com/WSJ/status/1948757932381729182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Local police believe the suspect could still be on campus, <a href="https://www.koat.com/article/shooting-incident-unm-campus-albuquerque-police-investigation/65508450" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to KOAT</a>. The university closed its campus and instructed those still on campus to shelter in place.
The university posted on X:
<blockquote>
In the early morning hours of July 25, 2025, UNMPD received a report of gunshots fired at Casas del Rio (Gila), located at 420 Redondo Dr NE in Albuquerque. Responding officers discovered two individuals had been shot. One victim is deceased, and the other sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The suspect remains at large and may still be on campus.
Out of an abundance of caution, UNM has closed its Albuquerque central campus. The Health Sciences Center, including all clinical components remains open. Multiple law enforcement agencies are on scene and actively investigating. Continue to monitor your UNM email, text messages, and LoboGuardian for real-time updates. If you have any information about this incident, please call UNMPD at 505-277-2241.
</blockquote>
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(3/3) components remains open. Multiple law enforcement agencies are on scene and actively investigating. Continue to monitor your UNM email, text messages, and LoboGuardian for real-time updates. If you have any information about this incident, please call UNMPD at 505-277-2241.
&mdash; Univ. of New Mexico (@UNM) <a href="https://twitter.com/UNM/status/1948725413066293725?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The university sent out an alert on its <a href="https://www.unm.edu/">website</a>, stating, “Central campus remains CLOSED. Police are conducting sweep in search of shooting suspect. If on campus, continue to SHELTER IN PLACE.”
The university comprises twelve colleges and schools, including the state&#8217;s only law school. According to its <a href="https://www.americancampus.com/student-apartments/nm/albuquerque/casas-del-rio#faq">website</a>, Casas del Rio is in the center of the campus and managed by American Campus Communities.

Students At The University Of New Mexico Attend Classes On First Day Of New School Year

Deadly Shooting At University Of New Mexico Dorm, Manhunt Underway

New Mexico

The three Lorain, Ohio, police officers who were shot on Wednesday in an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/three-ohio-police-officers-shot-in-ambush">ambush</a> have been identified, along with the suspect, who was found dead from a gunshot wound.
Two officers, 35-year-old Phillip Wagner and 51-year-old Peter Gale, parked on the side of a dead-end industrial parkway to eat lunch when they were fired upon, Fox 8 <a href="https://fox8.com/news/ne-ohio-police-officers-shot-during-ambush-suspect-dead/">reported</a>. The suspect, 28-year-old Michael Parker, was also sitting in his car on the side of the road, where he was “lying in wait&#8221; with an arsenal of weapons, according to Acting Lorain Police Chief Michael Failing.
Parker is the only suspect believed to be involved in the ambush. Police found “multiple high-powered rifles, handguns, and a substantial quantity of loaded magazines,” along with a “significant quantity of improvised explosive materials” inside and around his vehicle. Police also found &#8220;suspicious items&#8221; after searching his home, where he lived with his parents, according to Fox 8.
After the suspect opened fire on Wagner and Gale with a high-powered rifle, the third officer, 47-year-old Brent Payne, arrived on the scene. Wagner and Payne were hit multiple times in the shootout, while Gale was shot in the hand. More police raced to the scene, where some engaged the suspect and others transported the injured officers to the hospital.
As of Wednesday night, Wagner and Payne remained hospitalized with serious injuries after being life-flighted to MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland, about 30 miles away. Gale was treated for his injuries at a local hospital.
The police department in the neighboring city of Elyria is investigating the shooting. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, but it remains unclear if he was killed by return fire from police or a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Elyria Police Chief James Welsh.
“This incident has deeply impacted all of us in law enforcement. Our hearts are with the officers who were injured, their families, and the entire Lorain Police Department during this incredibly difficult time,&#8221; Welsh said. &#8220;We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all of the agencies that responded swiftly and selflessly during this critical incident. The coordinated efforts of our regional law enforcement partners—including tactical teams, bomb technicians, patrol units, and investigators—were instrumental in ensuring public safety, securing the scene, and advancing this complex investigation. In moments of crisis, it’s the strength of our partnerships that carries us through.”
One of Parker&#8217;s neighbors, Jody Burnsworth, told <a href="https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/columbus/news/2025/07/24/suspect-s-neighbor-shares-experiences">Spectrum News</a> that Parker was &#8220;different&#8221; and there was &#8220;something odd&#8221; about him. Burnsworth added that it was &#8220;absolutely shocking&#8221; to find out that Parker fired on police officers with a high-powered rifle. She said his parents are &#8220;sweet, conventional Christians.&#8221;

Police

New Details Emerge On Ambush Shooting Of 3 Ohio Police Officers

Ohio

President Donald Trump reflected on the failed assassination attempt — which took place one year ago during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania — and said that while he trusted and respected the Secret Service agents charged with protecting him, they&#8217;d clearly &#8220;had a bad day.&#8221;
Trump addressed the issue during an interview with his daughter-in-law for her Fox News show &#8220;My View&#8221; with Lara Trump — which aired on the eve of the anniversary — and he made it clear that he still had &#8220;confidence&#8221; in the Secret Service despite the fact that &#8220;mistakes were made&#8221; leading up to that fateful event.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the Secret Service after last year&#8217;s assassination attempt against him in Butler: &#8220;Mistakes were made &#8230; I have great confidence in these people. I know the people and they&#8217;re very talented, very capable. They had a bad day, and I think they&#8217;ll admit that.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/uK4C9eJKFq">pic.twitter.com/uK4C9eJKFq</a>
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1944204042877444523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;They briefed me and I&#8217;m satisfied with it, I&#8217;m satisfied with it,&#8221; he said of the after-action reports and reviews from the Secret Service regarding what happened that day.
&#8220;They should have had somebody in the building. That was a mistake,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;They should have had communications with the local police, they weren&#8217;t tied in, and they should have been tied in — so there were mistakes made, and that, you know, shouldn&#8217;t have happened. And that building was a prime building in terms of what they were trying to do.&#8221;
&#8220;So, but I was satisfied in terms of the bigger plot, the larger plot,&#8221; Trump continued. &#8220;I have great confidence in these  people, I know the people and they&#8217;re very talented, very capable. They had a bad day, and I think they&#8217;ll admit that, kind of a rough day.&#8221;
&#8220;This is a very dangerous job, being President. You know, I say a race car driver — one percent of one percent, think of that, die. That&#8217;s not a lot. A bull rider, I think that&#8217;s pretty dangerous, it&#8217;s like one tenth of one percent die. And with a president, it&#8217;s like five precent. Why didn&#8217;t you tell me this?&#8221; he asked with a smile. &#8220;I could have maybe made a different decision. But I wouldn&#8217;t have made a different decision, because we&#8217;re doing so well. The country is back.

Donald Trump

‘They Had A Bad Day’: Trump Reflects On Secret Service ‘Mistakes’ On Butler Shooting Anniversary

2024 Election

assassination attempt

Butler

Trump Rallies

A man ambushed and opened fire on Border Patrol agents in McAllen, Texas, on Monday before he was killed by local police and federal agents who returned fire.
The Department of Homeland Security told Fox News that the shooter, armed with a rifle and tactical gear, attacked agents at the entrance of a Border Patrol facility. The shooting appeared to be &#8220;a purposeful ambush/attack against federal agents,&#8221; according to authorities. Two police officers were injured, including one who was shot in the knee, and a Border Patrol employee was also wounded, <a href="https://x.com/DHSgov/status/1942249841167303061">according</a> to the DHS.
“This morning, an individual opened fire at the entrance of the United States Border Patrol sector annex in McAllen, Texas. Both Border Patrol agents and local police helped neutralize the shooter. This is an ongoing investigation led by the FBI. More information will be shared as it becomes available,” the DHS said in a statement.
The shooter, who has not been identified, was reported missing on Monday morning, according to McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/us/mcallen-airport-shooter-border-patrol.html">reported</a>. Authorities found other weapons in the shooter&#8217;s vehicle, which had been spray-painted with a message that law enforcement was trying to decipher, according to the Times.
Authorities are expected to hold a press conference addressing the shooting later on Monday.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
BREAKING: Three federal &amp; TX law enforcement sources tell me an active shooter with a rifle &amp; tactical gear ambushed Border Patrol agents as they arrived at a Border Patrol annex facility in McAllen, TX this morning. Local police and federal agents returned fire, killing him. I’m… <a href="https://t.co/xL3qw5G6OW">pic.twitter.com/xL3qw5G6OW</a>
&mdash; Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/1942230364073967869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
This article has been updated with additional information.

Counterterrorism strategy at the US-Mexico border

BREAKING: Gunman In Tactical Gear Killed After Opening Fire On Border Patrol Agents

Border Patrol

Texas

Police identified the man who was shot and killed by a security guard after targeting CrossPointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan, on Sunday.
Officials named Brian Anthony Browning, 31, from Romulus, Michigan, as the suspected gunman, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2025/06/23/police-id-suspected-gunman-fatally-shot-at-wayne-church/84315724007/">reported</a>. Browning was the son of a woman who is a member of the church, and he attended two or three services at CrossPointe in the past year. He might have been suffering from a mental health crisis, investigators said, adding that there is no evidence to suggest his alleged actions had any connection with the conflict in the Middle East.
Wayne Police said that the suspect was driving erratically outside the church building before exiting his vehicle and firing his AR-15 style rifle at the church. Browning was also armed with a semi-automatic handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. He was reportedly struck by a Ford F-150 driven by a church deacon, giving the security team time to take out the shooter.
Authorities obtained a search warrant for Browning&#8217;s home in Romulus, which is just south of Wayne. At the residence, law enforcement found more rifles, handguns, and ammunition, according to The Detroit News. Browning had no criminal history or previous run-ins with Wayne Police.
Police said that the church&#8217;s security team acted quickly after the gunfire erupted, locking the doors to protect congregants and then engaging with the alleged shooter. One of the security guards was injured after getting shot in the leg. The wounded security guard is in stable condition after undergoing surgery, according to authorities.
&#8220;We are grateful for the heroic actions of the church&#8217;s staff members, who undoubtedly saved many lives and prevented a large-scale mass shooting,&#8221; said Wayne Police Chief Ryan Strong.
Around 150 people, many of them children, were in attendance for the Sunday morning service. CrossPointe was holding a special vacation Bible school service, a summer program many churches put on for young children, when the shooter opened fire.
A livestream video of the service showed the Christian worshipers ducking for cover after a security guard told them to evacuate as shots were fired outside the building.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: People fleeing at Crosspointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan after shooting. <a href="https://t.co/jJXi1GXeWR">pic.twitter.com/jJXi1GXeWR</a>
— AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZ_Intel_/status/1936828501694300423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
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FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said on Sunday that the bureau&#8217;s &#8220;leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support.&#8221;

Michigan Church Shooting

Police Identify Suspected Gunman In Michigan Church Shooting

Christians

Church

Michigan

At least 20 Christians were killed and 52 others were wounded on Sunday when a radical Islamic terrorist opened fire in an Orthodox church in Damascus, Syria, and then detonated an explosive vest, according to Syria&#8217;s interior ministry.
The terrorist, affiliated with ISIS, targeted Mar Elias Church in Dweila, on the outskirts of Damascus, the BBC <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c307n9p43z9o">reported</a>. A person who witnessed the attack told AFP news agency that &#8220;someone entered carrying a weapon&#8221; and began firing at worshipers. A group of church members charged the attacker and &#8220;tried to stop him before he blew himself up,&#8221; the witness added.
Graphic footage of the aftermath of the bombing captured by the Syrian Civil Defence showed bloody bodies on the ground and rows of pews blown to pieces. Some local media reports said that children were among those killed in the terrorist attack, according to <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/suicide-bomber-syria-church-dweila/">CBS News</a>.
Issam Nasr, a man who was at the church during the attack, said that he saw people &#8220;blown to bits.&#8221;
&#8220;We have never held a knife in our lives. All we ever carried were our prayers,&#8221; Nasr said.
The bombing marks the first successful jihadist attack on a Christian church in Syria since Bashar al-Assad and his government were toppled by Islamic extremists in December, according to Reuters. The Islamic State was behind multiple other recent attacks on Christian churches in the country, but none were successful.
Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who is part of a Sunni Islamist group that has ties to al-Qaeda, has repeatedly vowed to protect religious minorities in the country, but violence against Christians continues. There are over 500,000 Christians in Syria, and they are regularly the victims of government oppression and Islamic extremism, according to <a href="https://www.opendoors.org/en-US/persecution/countries/syria/">Open Doors</a>, which ranks the country at 18th on the list of countries where Christians face the most persecution.

Deadly Blast Kills At Least 20 At Church In Damascus

Jihadist Suicide Bomber Kills 20, Wounds Dozens More At Orthodox Church

Bombings

Death

Persecution

Radical Islam

Syria

Terrorism

A shooter was shot and killed by a security guard after opening fire at a church in Wayne, Michigan, while worshipers were gathered for a service on Sunday.
The assailant was stopped before he could make it inside CrossPointe Community Church when one of the church&#8217;s deacons hit him with his Ford F-150, giving the security guard time to shoot the attacker, according to Senior Pastor Bobby Kelly Jr., The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2025/06/22/security-guard-kills-active-shooter-at-crosspointe-church-wayne-police-say/84307435007/">reported</a>. The security guard was also wounded in the shooting after taking a bullet to the leg, but no one else was injured.
There were around 150 people in attendance when the shooter targeted the church, which is located around 25 miles west of Detroit. A livestream video of the service showed the Christian worshipers, many of whom were children, ducking for cover after a security guard told them to evacuate as shots were fired outside the building. CrossPointe was holding a special vacation Bible school service, a summer program many churches put on for young children. While the shooter was stopped from making it inside the church, he fired multiple shots into the building.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: People fleeing at Crosspointe Community Church in Wayne, Michigan after shooting. <a href="https://t.co/jJXi1GXeWR">pic.twitter.com/jJXi1GXeWR</a>
&mdash; AZ Intel (@AZ_Intel_) <a href="https://twitter.com/AZ_Intel_/status/1936828501694300423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
According to Wayne Police Deputy Chief Finley Carter, the shooter was a 31-year-old man. Kelly said that the man did not appear to be a member of the church.
Local, state, and federal authorities are on the ground investigating the shooting. FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino <a href="https://x.com/FBIDDBongino/status/1936841401464947034">wrote</a> on X, &#8220;Our leadership and support teams are on the ground, at the scene, in Wayne, Michigan providing assistance and investigative support.&#8221;
Kelly said that the church started a security team around 10 years ago in response to threats to churches across the country, according to The Detroit News. The pastor added that before Sunday, CrossPointe had not received any threats of violence.
&#8220;We are sitting ducks to someone who wants to come and do harm,&#8221; he said.

Michigan church shooting

TRAGEDY AVERTED: Shooter Targeting Michigan Church Taken Out By Security Guard

Minnesota Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, released a statement on Thursday updating the public on their recovery and providing more details about the assassination attempt against them last week.
Yvette has been released from the hospital, while John remains in critical but stable condition, <a href="https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/hoffman-hortman-statement-minnesota-shooting/89-5fb5baf5-8293-4397-b57d-69a265571bd4">according</a> to NBC&#8217;s Minneapolis affiliate, KARE 11. In their statement, the Hoffmans said they were shot a combined 17 times by a masked assassin who targeted multiple Democratic politicians last week, wounding the Hoffmans and killing state Rep. Melissa Hortman (D) and her husband, Mark. The Hortmans are survived by their two adult children, Sophie and Colin.
The Hoffmans added that they, along with their adult daughter, Hope, were awakened by loud banging on their front door, with someone shouting and identifying himself as a police officer.
&#8220;When the door was opened, all three of us were in the entryway. John initially lunged at the gunman as the weapon was pointed directly at him, getting struck nine times,&#8221; the statement reads. &#8220;As John fell, Yvette reached out to push the man and shut the door, succeeding before she was also hit eight times by gunfire. Hope then rushed to shut the door and secured the lock; she got to the phone and shared with the 911 operator that Senator John Hoffman had been shot in his home. Her brave actions and quick thinking triggered the notice to public safety officials that a politically-motivated act was potentially underway.&#8221;
After wounding the Hoffmans, 57-year-old Vance Boelter, the suspected assassin, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/suspected-minnesota-assassin-went-to-homes-of-two-other-elected-officials-prosecutor?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Suspected+Minnesota+Assassin+Went+To+Homes+Of+Two+Other+Elected+Officials%3A+Prosecutor">drove</a> to the houses of two other Democratic politicians who were not home, according to prosecutors. Authorities said that Boelter then arrived at the home of Rep. Hortman, where he shot and killed the 55-year-old Democrat and her husband before getting into a shootout with police and fleeing. Boelter was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/authorities-catch-suspected-minnesota-assassin">arrested</a> just over 24 hours later in a wooded area near his family home, which is located an hour southwest of the Twin Cities.
Police said they found a potential “<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-hit-list-found-in-minnesota-gunmans-vehicle">hit list</a>” in Boelter’s vehicle that contained the names of numerous Minnesota Democrats, including Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Angie Craig, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan. The suspect, who was reappointed by Walz to serve on the Workforce Development Board in 2019, was &#8220;very conservative,&#8221; according to a man he roomed with part-time at a house in north Minneapolis.
Video <a href="https://x.com/Protestia/status/1934404005590937986">clips</a> shared on social media show Boelter <a href="https://x.com/sfmcguire79/status/1934044833477185855">preaching</a> in churches in the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent years. He graduated from Christ For The Nations Institute in 1990 with a degree in practical theology in leadership and pastoral, according to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/vance-boelter-know-minnesota-shooting-suspect-rcna213443">NBC News</a>. In Minnesota, Boelter was most recently working for funeral homes and had decades of experience in the food industry.
&#8220;We are heartbroken to know that our friends Melissa and Mark Hortman were assassinated,&#8221; the Hoffmans added. &#8220;Our daughter Hope and Sophie Hortman went to school together, and we know that they – along with Colin Hortman – will have each other’s support as we all work through the devastating consequences of that horrific night.&#8221;
&#8220;Choosing to work in the public sector, even in as limited a way as John’s career as a senator, has always meant sacrificing a level of privacy. But now we are grappling with the reality that we live in a world where public service carries such risks as being targeted because someone disagrees with you or doesn’t like what you stand for,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;As a society, as a nation, as a community, we must work together to return to a level of civility that allows us all to live peacefully. The future for our children depends on that. We will be praying for that work and appreciate all those who will join with us.&#8221;

Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman

Minnesota State Senator, Wife Say They Were Shot A Combined 17 Times By Masked Assassin

assasination

Democrats

Minnesota

A federal prosecutor revealed on Monday that the suspected assassin, who shot Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and state Rep. Melissa Hortman along with their spouses early Saturday morning, also visited the residences of two other state lawmakers between the attacks.
Vance Boelter, the 57-year-old man accused of murdering Hortman and her husband and attempting to kill Hoffman and his wife, stopped by the homes of two other politicians while impersonating a law enforcement officer, according to Joseph Thompson, the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota, USA Today <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/16/minnesota-shooting-vance-luther-boelter-charges-live-updates/84224901007/">reported</a>. Thompson didn&#8217;t name the other two lawmakers, but said one was a state representative and the other was a state senator.
After shooting and wounding Sen. Hoffman and his wife, Boelter traveled to the home of a state representative in Maple Grove, Minnesota. After arriving at the home, Boelter rang the doorbell at around 2:24 a.m., Thompson said during a press conference on Monday.
&#8220;Again, he was dressed as a law enforcement officer, wearing a tactical vest and body armor, carrying a handgun and a flashlight, and wearing that same hyper-realistic silicon mask,&#8221; the prosecutor <a href="https://www.mediaite.com/media/news/minnesota-shooting-suspect-went-to-the-homes-of-two-other-elected-officials-us-attorney-says/">added</a>.
&#8220;Fortunately, the state representative was not home. She and her family were gone on vacation,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;So Boelter left.&#8221;
The suspected assassin then traveled to another state senator&#8217;s home in New Hope, Minnesota. Outside of the home, Boelter parked his black SUV, which had a police license plate, in the street. As Boelter was parked outside, a New Hope police officer arrived on the scene to do a wellness check on the lawmaker after learning that Hoffman and his wife had been shot. The New Hope police officer believed Boelter was another officer who had been dispatched to do a wellness check and rolled down the window of her patrol car to speak with him.
&#8220;Boelter did not respond. According to the officer, he just sat there and stared straight ahead,&#8221; Thompson said. &#8220;So the New Hope police officer who had been dispatched to the scene proceeded to the state senator’s home, and she waited for other law enforcement to arrive. When they did, by the time they did, Boelter had left the scene.&#8221;
The suspected assassin&#8217;s next target was state Rep. Hortman in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he shot and killed her and her husband, Mark, in their home. Boelter allegedly had a &#8220;hit list,&#8221; containing the names of numerous Democratic lawmakers and abortion clinics in his vehicle, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/read-the-hit-list-found-in-minnesota-gunmans-vehicle">reported</a>. Among those named on the &#8220;hit list&#8221; were Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Rep. Angie Craig, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, and Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan.
Boelter, who was appointed to Minnesota Democrat Governor Tim Walz’s Workforce Development Council in 2019, was &#8220;very conservative,&#8221; his roommate <a href="https://x.com/lilialuciano/status/1934315979687010680">told</a> CBS News. The roommate added that Boelter &#8220;would be offended if people thought he was a Democrat,&#8221; referring to rumors spreading on social media that Boelter was a leftist.
The suspected assassin was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/authorities-catch-suspected-minnesota-assassin?author=Daniel+Chaitin&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Suspect+In+Minnesota+Political+Assassination+Captured+Alive">arrested</a> by authorities in a wooded area near his home on Sunday. He is charged with six counts, including stalking, murder, and multiple firearms-related offenses, according to USA Today.
&#8220;It is not an exaggeration to say that his crimes are the stuff of nightmares,&#8221; Thompson <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/16/minnesota-shooting-vance-luther-boelter-charges-live-updates/84224901007/">said</a>. &#8220;Boelter stalked his victims like prey.&#8221;

Minnesota assassination

Suspected Minnesota Assassin Went To Homes Of Two Other Elected Officials: Prosecutor

assassination

Murder

Governor Tim Walz (D-MN) attempted to blame political violence — like the targeted shooting of two Democratic lawmakers and their spouses in his home state — on &#8220;mean tweets&#8221; in an apparent jab at President Donald Trump, despite the fact that he himself had called on Democrats to &#8220;be meaner&#8221; just a few weeks earlier.
Walz gave a statement on Sunday evening after it was announced that the alleged shooter, Vance Boelter, had been apprehended after a two-day manhunt — and he called for &#8220;decency&#8221; in political discourse.
&#8220;A moment in this country where we watch violence erupt, this cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences,&#8221; Walz began. &#8220;Now is the time for us to recommit to the core values of this country. And each and every one of us can do it.&#8221;
&#8220;Talk to a neighbor rather than arguing. Debate an issue. Shake hands. Find common ground. This is who Melissa Hortman was. In the first negotiating session that I had a chance to work with her, she got all the partners in the room, and she provided each and every one of us a copy of a book called &#8216;Getting to Yes,'&#8221; he continued, remembering the deceased legislator. &#8220;And the whole premise was debating with a sense of goodwill, a sense to come to compromises that serve everyone. And because of her, we did that. Because of her we did that year after year after year. That’s the embodiment of how things are supposed to work.&#8221;
&#8220;It’s not about hatred. It’s not about mean tweets,&#8221; Walz added, in an apparent jab at Trump. &#8220;It’s not about demeaning someone. It’s leading with grace and compassion and vision and compromise and decency. That was taken from us in Minnesota with the murder of Speaker Hortman. So for each and every one of us to truly honor, and we will, we will continue to honor that spirit, but we will need to do it in just more than actions in a memorial. Conducting ourselves in the spirit that Melissa Hortman did her work is what the country needs to heal.&#8221;
The governor&#8217;s words on Sunday mark a dramatic departure from what he said just a few weeks earlier about Democrats needing to &#8220;be a little meaner&#8221; when it came to engaging in political discourse.
Walz, during his remarks at the South Carolina Democratic Party Convention, referred to Trump as a &#8220;wannabe dictator,&#8221; a &#8220;bully,&#8221; and a &#8220;cruel man&#8221; – and suggested that Democrats needed to &#8220;bully him back.&#8221;
&#8220;Maybe it’s time for us to be a little meaner, maybe it’s time for us to be a little more fierce,&#8221; he said.

JD Vance And Tim Walz Face Off In Vice Presidential Debate In New York

Tim Walz Told Dems To ‘Be Meaner,’ Then Blamed Trump’s ‘Mean Tweets’ For Political Violence

Gov Who Called ICE Agents 'Modern Day Gestapo' Blames Trump 'Mean Tweets' For Political Violence

Political Violence

Tim Walz

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