| For Immediate Release: Date: June 15, 2025 | Contact Rahat N. Babar, Deputy Executive Director |
WASHINGTON – In the early morning hours of Saturday, June 14, an armed perpetrator shot two Minnesota state legislators and their respective spouses in the suburbs outside of Minneapolis. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, died. State Senator John A. Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, survived and sustained injuries from the attack. The Governor of Minnesota called the events “an act of targeted political violence.”
The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) and the Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association (MNAPABA) unequivocally condemn these horrific attacks. We send our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the victims, along with the people of Minnesota.
Our democracy must not tolerate acts of political violence. They are antithetical to the core values of our community and our Nation. The rule of law demands the peaceful resolution of our differences, whether it be through our institutions like the courts or at the ballot box. Despite the intensity of our public discourse, we cannot forget our common humanity.
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The National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) represents the interests of over 80,000 Asian Pacific American (APA) legal professionals and over 90 national, state, and local APA bar associations. NAPABA is a leader in addressing civil rights issues confronting Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Through its national network, NAPABA provides a strong voice for increased diversity of the federal and state judiciaries, advocates for equal opportunity in the workplace, works to eliminate hate crimes and anti-immigrant sentiment, and promotes the professional development of people of all backgrounds in the legal profession.
The Minnesota Asian Pacific American Bar Association (MNAPABA) is a community of Minnesota Asian Pacific American and Asian lawyers that supports one another, celebrates each others’ accomplishments, creates opportunities for dialogue on issues of importance to APAs, and highlights APA issues to the legal community at large. MNAPABA (formerly NAPABA-MN) is an affiliate of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).
