MCF Condemns Acts of Violence and Continues Work to Strengthen Communities
On June 14, 2025, Minnesota experienced an unimaginable tragedy. Speaker Emerita and State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their home. That same day, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were critically injured in a similar attack at their residence. Both Senator Hoffman and his wife remain in stable condition following emergency surgery. Law enforcement officials report that the suspect impersonated a law enforcement officer and carried out what authorities are calling a politically motivated act of violence.
These attacks occurred on a day already heavy with symbolic weight—Flag Day, the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army, and a weekend marked by widespread civic demonstrations.
Rep. Hortman was a respected and principled public servant. As a central figure in shaping the bipartisan power-sharing agreement in the evenly divided Minnesota House, Rep. Hortman was widely admired for her commitment to collaboration and achieving tangible results for Minnesotans. She co-sponsored the March 2024 legislation that aimed to establish an Independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commission, an important and unfinished effort to support fair representation and a more inclusive democracy. This has long been supported by Minnesota Council on Foundations (MCF) and our democracy partners, informed by our collective 2020 Census and redistricting efforts. Her leadership will be profoundly missed by MCF, our members, and the community. We join so many others in mourning and send condolences to her family.
Acts of violence must never determine who serves in public leadership roles. In a democracy, leadership is selected by the people—not by intimidation or force. MCF stands firmly for nonviolence and for the power of philanthropy to support civic dialogue, democratic participation, and resilient communities where disagreements are resolved through conversation and the ballot box.