As the Minnesota Legislature takes steps to protect members of the House and Senate following the Saturday shooting of two state lawmakers and their spouses at their homes, long-discussed security measures at the state Capitol figure to see renewed interest.

Lawmakers’ home addresses have been removed from the Minnesota Legislature’s website, and the Capitol saw a larger security presence than usual Monday. That’s on top of a longstanding 24-hour law enforcement presence, according to Kyle Everson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota State Patrol.

For many years, elected officials have called for greater security measures at the Minnesota Capitol, such as entry checkpoints with metal detectors and X-ray machines. Minnesota was one of 13 states to forgo those measures, according to a Council of State Governments review conducted in 2021, following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Lawmakers might act with more urgency to beef up security at the Capitol after Saturday’s shootings, which killed former House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and her husband, Mark, and injured Sen. John Hoffman, DFL-Champlin, and his wife, Yvette. The alleged gunman visited the homes of two additional lawmakers that same night and had notebooks naming dozens more targets, federal prosecutors said Monday.

“I think everybody at the Capitol is ready to look at this in a serious manner,” said Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, who has served in the state Legislature since the 1980s. “The idea of metal detectors and banning guns at the Capitol, I think it’s coming.”

Marty supports new security measures but also has backed legislation to ban the carrying of firearms in the state Capitol, something he says has met fierce resistance from gun rights groups and some GOP lawmakers. Some Republican members of the Legislature have carried guns on the House and Senate floors in the past, citing concerns over personal safety.

One building on the state Capitol complex already has metal detectors and bans weapons: the Minnesota Judicial Center, which houses the state Supreme Court.

“I’m hoping, at a minimum, we will start next year off by banning guns in the Capitol complex, like we do in other courthouses,” Marty said. “I think the overwhelming majority would say, yeah, if they do it in courthouses, why shouldn’t they be doing it at the Capitol?”

Committee interested

Security took the spotlight at the state Capitol earlier this year after Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher submitted a letter to the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Security requesting new measures, including metal detectors, X-ray machines, stationary guards and bag checks at entrances.

“The United States has become more politically polarized than it has been in decades,” he wrote to lawmakers. “Moreover, the willingness for certain actors to resort to political violence, threats, and intimidation to those who have different values and beliefs is clearly on the rise.”

Members of the bipartisan advisory committee said they were committed to working to ensure greater safety at the Capitol after the lawmaker shootings, though for now they aren’t publicly advocating any specific measures.

“This horrific act of political violence highlights the vital importance of our continued diligence to ensure that members of the legislature, staff, those that work in State Government, and the public are safe within the walls of the State Capitol and around the Capitol complex,” they said in a Monday statement.

Lawmakers on the committee include Rep. Kelly Moller, DFL-Shoreview; Rep. Jim Nash, R-Waconia; Sen. Bonnie Westlin, DFL-Plymouth; and Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove.

States take action

Former Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, who served in the Senate until 2022, said it’s time for the state to increase Capitol security measures amid rising political violence, which he said became a bigger problem toward the end of his nearly 20 years in the Legislature.

“Hortman and I talked about threats that we and others were receiving,” he said.

Gazelka, a northern Minnesota Senator who started carrying a gun at the Capitol after protesters forced their way into the Senate Office building in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd, said he thinks the Capitol still can be accessible to the public with added security measures.

“I just don’t think there’s any harm in bringing people through one gate for security,” he said. “You have multiple doors. I don’t have a problem with that. I just think you have to begin to think about the fact that people are far more aggressive.”

Since Saturday’s shootings, some neighboring states have moved quickly to boost lawmaker safety. Wisconsin State Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, a Republican, has requested added security ahead of a floor session Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported. And in North Dakota, lawmakers’ home addresses were removed from the Legislature’s website.

Members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation could see added security as well. U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, who reportedly was on a list of politicians alleged 57-year-old shooter Vance Luther Boelter hoped to target, was considering a regular private security detail, according to the Associated Press.

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A teenager with a job making burritos became a powerful Minnesota lawmaker who trained service dogs

In her last interview with the Pioneer Press, just days before she and her husband were fatally shot, state Rep. Melissa Hortman said that above all this summer she was looking forward to spending time with her family’s dog.

A nonprofit organization that trains assistance dogs posted Monday morning that their golden retriever, Gilbert, did not survive gunshot injuries he suffered during the Saturday shootings of Melissa and Mark Hortman in their Brooklyn Park home.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of Gilbert’s passing. We can confirm that he did not survive the attack at the Hortman family’s home early Saturday morning,” Helping Paws Inc. wrote on Facebook.

In this photo from 2022, provided by Helping Paws of Eden Prairie, Minn., state Rep. Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, poses with Gilbert, a golden retriever trained to be a service dog but eventually adopted by the Hortman family, at a training facility in Hopkins, Minnesota. (Helping Paws via AP)

When asked about her plans for the summer interim a few days before she was assassinated, the former DFL House speaker told the Pioneer Press that she looked forward to enjoying the backyard of her Brooklyn Park home and spending time with her dog, which she said could tell when she was about to head to the state Capitol for long days of work during the prolonged and politically contentious session.

“We are mourning the loss of two dedicated volunteers and one of our beloved dogs who once trained in our program,” the Helping Paws post said.

The mission of Helping Paws is to enhance the independence and quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities and veterans with PTSD through the use of assistance dogs, according to the organization.

A previous post mentioned Hortman’s death saying, “She was a Helping Paws Foster Home Trainer, a neighbor, and a friend. The Hortman family raised and trained Minnie, who is now a working service dog partnered with a Veteran. They also helped raise and train Gilbert, a service dog in training who was eventually career changed and became a cherished member of their family.”

The organization noted that when its service dog candidates can’t fulfill their training standards, volunteer training families, like the Hortmans, are giving the option of adoption.

The Hortmans’ connection to Helping Paws began in 2014 when their daughter, Sophie, chose to raise a service dog — Minnie — as her high school service project. When Sophie left for college, Mark Hortman continued training Minnie, who was successfully placed with a veteran in 2016.

The Hortmans, and Gilbert, continued their association with Helping Paws, including participating in events and dog-sitting other training candidates.

In Monday’s federal complaint charging Vance Boelter, 57, with murdering Hortman and her husband, there is mention of the dog being “gravely” injured in the attack. Helping Paws said later Monday that Gilbert was euthanized by his veterinary medicine caregivers.

“We’ve been deeply moved by the outpouring of support and compassion we’ve received,” Helping Paws wrote online. “In response, we will soon make a formal announcement regarding the establishment of a fund in honor of the Hortman family and Gilbert. This fund will support our program placing service dogs with veterans and first responders living with PTSD.”

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GRAND CHUTE, Wis. – The top-ranked Hudson Raiders picked a bad day to have a really, really bad day.

The Raiders bounced back from an early deficit but then saw their hopes for a first state baseball tournament victory evaporate during Lake Geneva Badger’s nine-run fifth inning in a 14-3 loss on Monday in the Division 1 quarterfinals of the Wisconsin high school state baseball tournament.

Hudson (19-7), ranked No. 1 in Division 1 in the state poll, spotted Badger four runs in the first with the aid of an error, but answered with three in the bottom half.

While the Raiders were unable to add on, eighth-seeded Badger (22-7) pushed across a run in the fourth to make it 5-3.

Badger then pounded out nine hits, and the Raiders committed two more errors en route to a run rule-shortened victory.

“Take nothing away from Badger, it was for sure their day,” Hudson coach Brent Blegen said. “They came out and scored four in the top of the first. I think it was a little messy. We didn’t play great that first inning. We settle down, got three back. I felt like we were going to turn the corner at that point.”

Hudson had won seven of its previous eight games, including a pair of 10-run victories in the sectional.

Sophomore left-hander Mark Susa settled in after giving up the four early runs, allowing seven runs, five earned, on five hits in four innings. He exited after allowing a double and walk to open the fifth.

“That was motivation, really,” said Susa, adding he thought the Raiders were back on track when they answered in the first. “That happened last week. They got three in the first inning, and we bounced back and 10-runned them.”

Bennett Brathol relieved and was tagged for seven runs on eight hits in two-thirds of an inning. Myles Howe got the final out.

“We never really got over the hump,” Blegen said. “We got one back, but then their bats came alive in that top of the fifth. It was their day.”

Jace Mataczynski had two of Hudson’s five hits, and Steele Homme tripled in two runs.

The Raiders committed four errors, and Badger also beat out three bunt singles.

After the rough start, the Raiders bounced back in the bottom of the first, Sam Abrahamson got the rally started with a one-out single, and Logan Hagman walked. Mataczynski lined a single off the glove of the leaping third baseman to load the bases. Abrahamson scored on Brathol’s RBI fielder’s choice, and Homme followed with a two-run triple to right.

Badger got the first three runners aboard in the top half with a walk, bunt single, and run-scoring error. A two-run double and RBI single made it 4-0 before the Raiders recorded an out.

Badger made it 5-3 in fourth on a two-base error, ground out, and wild pitch.

“We couldn’t ask for much more in how we played, jumping out there with four runs in the first inning,” said Badger coach Nick Hughes. “Hudson obviously responded, and then our guy settled in and their guy kind of settled in. And then we just kind of did what we did all year. Put pressure on them with bunting, stealing bases. It’s kind of what we do, put pressure on the defense and make them make plays.”

Hudson remained winless in three trips to the state tournament. The Raiders dropped their opener last season, their first appearance since 1974 when they also lost the first game.

Badger advanced to Wednesday’s semifinals against fourth-seeded Sussex Hamilton, a 6-1 winner over Oak Creek.

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A tornado watch has been issued for much of central Minnesota including the Twin Cities metro, according to the National Weather Service Twin Cities.

The watch, in effect until 9 p.m., is for the following Minnesota counties:

Aitkin, Anoka, Benton, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chicago, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itaska, Kanabec, Kandiyohi, McCleod, Meeker, Mille Lakes, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pine, Pope, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd, Wadena, Washington and Wright counties.

A tornado warning was issued about 6:30 p.m. for east central McLeod County and northwestern Carver County.

According to the National Weather Service, a watch is implemented when there is a risk of hazardous weather but the probability, location or timing is uncertain. People should stay alert and listen for possible warnings particularly if they are traveling or being outside.

A warning is when the hazardous weather or event is occurring, imminent or likely and people need to take immediate protective action.

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