Trump ally Laura Loomer joined other right-wing influencers in spreading baseless speculation about the suspect charged with the murder of M
Reed McMaster and Casey Wexler at MMFA:
Trump ally Laura Loomer joined other right-wing influencers in spreading baseless speculation about the suspect charged with the murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and the attempted murder of Minnesota state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife. Loomer attempted to tie the alleged shooter to the anti-Trump “No Kings” protests that took place the same weekend and baselessly suggested he was a “friend” and “ally” of Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, even though the suspect targeted Democratic lawmakers.
Right-wing influencers spread misinformation about the shooting of two Democratic lawmakers
In the early morning of June 14, a gunman posing as a police officer allegedly shot two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers, killing one and injuring the other. The shooter targeted state Rep. Melissa Hortman and state Sen. John Hoffman and their spouses, killing Hortman and her husband and injuring both of the Hoffmans. The police found a “hit list” in the suspect’s car naming several dozen Democratic lawmakers and officials (including the two who were shot), as well as “voluminous writings” in his vehicle and home. The suspected shooter evaded law enforcement for nearly two days before being captured on June 15. [NPR, 6/16/25]
Police found several sheets of paper in the suspect’s car with the phrase “No Kings,” the name of the national anti-Trump protests also held on June 14. Minnesota state police posted a photo of the papers, suggesting individuals not attend the scheduled protests as the suspect was then still at large. Gov. Walz similarly urged residents not to attend the protests, and event organizers canceled the planned demonstrations. [The New York Times, 6/14/25]
The suspected gunman was appointed to Minnesota’s Workforce Development Board by Walz in 2019, but according to Walz’s spokesperson, “Appointments to the workforce board aren’t the same as positions in the governor’s office or cabinet, and Walz had no relationship with Boelter.” [PBS, 6/15/25]
During the manhunt, conservative influencers claimed the shooter was actually a Democrat working for the governor and had ties to the No Kings protests. While the public waited for more information about the suspect and his motives, right-wing media spun a false narrative that the alleged murderer was a left-leaning figure aligned with Walz. [Media Matters, 6/16/25]
President Donald Trump refused to call the governor of Minnesota, eschewing a traditional presidential response in the aftermath of tragedies. [NBC, 6/17/25]
Far-right kook Laura Loomer pushed baseless nonsense about the Minnesota lawmaker shootings and Gov. Tim Walz