Sen. Amy Klobuchar had dinner with former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman just hours before Hortman and her husband were fatally shot in their Brooklyn Park home in a politically motivated assassination. The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter—previously appointed to a state board by Gov. Tim Walz—disguised himself as a police officer and left behind a manifesto listing 70 political figures. Boelter also allegedly shot State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, who survived. Authorities linked him to “No Kings” protest materials tied to nationwide demonstrations against Trump.

Klobuchar, who shared a long political and personal relationship with Hortman, mourned her friend’s death and warned of rising political violence. “If good people stop running for office, our democracy won’t stand,” she said, citing the dramatic rise in threats against officials—from 1,700 in 2016 to over 9,000 in 2023.

In response, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called for heightened security for Klobuchar, fellow Minnesotan Sen. Tina Smith, and Sen. Alex Padilla, who was recently tackled by DHS agents after a security misunderstanding in Los Angeles.