MAYOR RAS J. BARAKA STATEMENT ON THE ASSASSINATION AND ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF MINNESOTAN STATE LEGISLATORS AND THEIR SPOUSES

“With the news today of the political assassination and attempted assassination of two Minnesotan state legislators, our country has now devolved into the worst level of horror imaginable.

“All of Newark grieves for the people of Minnesota at the death of Democratic state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark.  We stand with them in our hope for the complete recovery of Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette who sustained multiple critical gunshot injuries.

“When hatred explodes to this magnitude of madness, with both attacks taking place in the very homes of these legislative leaders, ‘shelter in place’ no longer has meaning.  There is no safety in America as long as MAGA reigns.

“Through the MAGA movement, Donald Trump has unleashed a tsunami of ignorance and blind hatred across this country. And it will take every one of us to stand up against them with fierce determination to wrestle our country back. No one is exempt from the obligation to step up, speak out and reclaim our American decency.”