TAMMYE NASH | Managing Editor
Nash@DallasVoice.com
t was just two weeks ago that a man dressed as a police officer assassinated a Minnesota state representative and her husband and, that same night, severely wounded a Minnesota state senator and his wife at their respective homes.
The shootings happened late on June 20. The alleged gunman, identified as 57-year-old “doomsday prepper” and right-wing preacher Vance Boelter was arrested, late on June 22, and authorities have said he had compiled a “hit list” of 45 elected officials, all of them Democrats. The names of two Texas Congressmembers — Rep. Veronica Escobar and Rep. Joaquin Castro — were reportedly on that list.
But the Minnesota assassination and assassination attempt were just the latest in what experts say is a rising tide of politically motived violence, including an arson fire at the Pennsylvania Governor’s Mansion targeting Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro back in April.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies says that instances of politically-motivated violence have skyrocketed since 2025, citing as recent examples, the hammer attack on former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s husband, two alleged assassination attempts targeting Donald Trump, and a string of drive-by shootings aimed at elected officials in New Mexico.
The same day that Boelter murdered state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband and critically wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in Minnesota, millions of protesters across every state in the U.S. turned out for “No Kings” rallies protesting Trump and his administration. Many of these rallies were targeted for violence, too, according to The Guardian, which notes that a man with a rifle charged No Kings protesters at a Utah rally, prompting a “safety volunteer” for the rally to fire at the man, wounding him and killing a bystander.
At a California rally a man in a vehicle deliberately ran over a protester’s leg, and in Arizona, a man was arrested after brandishing a handgun at protesters.
Within the last week, a Jewish lawmaker in Ohio reported being run off the road by a man waving a Palestinian flag, and New York police are investigating anti-Muslim threats directed at mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
These incidents, though, are likely just the sharp, pointy tip of a very large iceberg, and the LGBTQ+ community often finds itself centered in the bullseye of political and religious extremism.
The LGBTQ+ community has made great strides toward equality over the last two decades, and the community’s visibility has grown exponentially. But as visibility and progress have increased, so has violence toward the community.
The mass shooting at the Pulse Nightclub in Orland on June 12, 2016, stripped away many people’s layers of security, and as recent as this past weekend, a Central Texas man allegedly sent messages on social media saying, “There should be a shooting at a trans rally. Change my mind.”
(That message and the man’s name have been passed along to law enforcement, including the FBI.)
Even as the 2025 Pride Month is drawing to a close, it is imperative that the LGBTQ+ community remain aware of and alert violence and threats of violence, while at the same time refusing to allow fear to keep us closeted and isolated.
Ready.gov, an official U.S. government website launched in 2023 as a public service campaign intended to educate and power the American people prepare for, respond to and mitigate emergencies and disasters, offers advice on how to avoid public attacks, how to react during such an incident and how to respond in the aftermath.
Ready.gov lists four different types of mass attacks: individuals using firearms to cause mass casualties (active shooter) individuals using a vehicle to cause mass casualties, individuals using homemade bombs to cause mass casualties and other attacks that may include knives, fires, drones or other weapons.
Ready.gov’s website includes advice on preparing for, surviving during and being safe after a public mass attack. That advice is listed here:
Prepare BEFORE:
- Stay alert. Always be aware of your environment and any possible dangers.
• If you see something, say something. That includes suspicious packages, people behaving strangely or someone using strange communications. - Observe warning signs like unusual or violent communications, substance abuse, expressed anger or intent to cause harm.
• Identify exits and areas to hide wherever you go, including work, school and special events.
• Learn lifesaving skills.
Survive DURING - Run to safety. Getting away from the attacker is the top priority. Leave your belongings behind and get away. Call 9-1-1 when you are safe and describe the attacker, location and weapons.
- Cover and hide: Cover and hide if you can’t evacuate. Put a solid barrier between yourself and the threat if possible. Lock and block doors, close blinds and turn off lights.
- Defend, disrupt, fight: Fight only as a last resort. When you can’t run or cover, attempt to disrupt the attack or disable the attacker. Be aggressive and commit to your actions. Recruit others to ambush the attacker with makeshift weapons.
- Help the wounded: Take care of yourself first and then, if you are able, help the wounded get to safety and provide immediate care. Call 9-1-1 when it is safe for you to do so.
Be safe AFTER - When law enforcement arrives: remain calm and follow instructions. Keep hands visible and empty. Report to designated areas to provide information and get help.
Follow law enforcement’s instructions and evacuate in the direction they tell you to go. Share updates as you can with family and friends.
Consider seeking PROFESSIONAL HELP
Be mindful of your mental health. If needed, seek help for you and your family to cope with the trauma.
For more information, including video on surviving an active shooter, visit Ready.gov. The website also has information on dealing with natural disasters and other emergency situations.