KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.

just after midnight, patrol officers were dispatched to the area of 69th and College on a reported sound of shots, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they located a vehicle near the intersection. Inside the vehicle there were two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. 

Medics declared one man deceased at the scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.

This is being investigated as a homicide and there is no one in custody. Investigators are working to determine what led up to the victims being shot.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749989590110.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating a double-homicide in Kansas City.just after midnight, patrol officers were dispatched to the area of 69th and College on a reported sound of shots, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they located a vehicle near the intersection. Inside the vehicle there were two victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Medics declared one man deceased at the scene. The second victim was transported to a local hospital where he died a short time later.This is being investigated as a homicide and there is no one in custody. Investigators are working to determine what led up to the victims being shot.&nbsp;

Double-homicide: Two victims found in car in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;rejected a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.

The Israelis informed the Trump administration in recent days that they had developed a credible plan to kill Khamenei.

After being briefed on the plan, the White House made clear to Israeli officials that Trump was opposed to the Israelis making the move, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Trump administration is desperate to keep Israel’s military operation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-netanyahu-nuclear-trump-13d04138deb51e3f6315fa4ab5973cc0">aimed at decapitating</a>&nbsp;Iran’s nuclear program from exploding into an even more expansive conflict and saw the plan to kill Khamenei as a move that would enflame the conflict and potentially destabilize the region.

Asked about the plan during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report with Bret Baier," Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;did not directly address whether the White House rejected the plan.

“But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do," Netanyahu said. “And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”

Netanyahu spokesperson Omer Dostri later called reports about the Israeli plan to kill Khamenei “fake.”

Netanyahu in the Fox interview also said regime change “could certainly be the result” of the conflict “because the Iranian regime is very weak.”

Trump's rejection of the proposal was first reported by Reuters.

Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday issued a stark warning to Iran not to retaliate against U.S. targets in the Middle East.

Trump in an early morning social media posting said the United States “had nothing to do with the attack on Iran” as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-iran-war-latest-06-15-2025-291df01b03179cd414db21ca33791b39">Israel and Iran traded missile attacks</a>&nbsp;for the third straight day. Iran, however, has said it would hold the U.S. — which has provided Israel with much of its deep arsenal of weaponry — responsible for its backing of Israel.

“If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump said.

Hours later Trump took to social media again to predict “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal" and that it could come “soon.”

But as he departed the White House on Sunday evening for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g7-summit-canada-trump-iran-b98aad10779d9af5456c1a6553ffe59b">Group of Seven leaders summit</a>&nbsp;in the Canadian Rockies, Trump was more tempered in comments to reporters about when the Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation would wind down.

“I hope there is going to be a deal, and we’ll see what happens, but sometimes they have to fight it out,” Trump said.

The conflict is expected to loom large during his talks with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union.

The U.S. president said he has a track record for de-escalating conflicts, and that he would get Israel and Iran to cease hostilities “just like I got India and Pakistan to" after the two countries' recent cross-border confrontation.

India struck targets inside Pakistan after militants in April&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kashmir-tourist-attack-dc7067a18899d9e7ff7726d4e05982c3">massacred 26 tourists</a>&nbsp;in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any links to the attackers. Following India’s strikes in Pakistan, the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto borders, followed by missile and drone strikes into each other’s territories,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-india-missiles-border-tensions-21a2859557179f2b32d6b8d5628ac853">mainly targeting military installations and airbases</a>.

It was the most serious confrontation in decades between the countries. Trump on Sunday repeated his claim,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">disputed by India</a>, that the two sides agreed to a ceasefire after he had offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate.

Trump also pointed to efforts by his administration during his first term to mediate disputes between Serbia and Kosovo and Egypt and Ethiopia.

“Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump posted. “Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!”

There's a divide in Trump world about how far the president should go in backing Israel.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mtg-greene-ossoff-georgia-senate-6df53b2ef8bf9d49272a4b4359abad21">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>, R-Ga., Turning Point USA founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-turning-point-maga-d08a98e439fa4e902cb756d7e35153db">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;and former Fox News host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tucker-carlson-out-fox-news-58a8421c55978f223b9c4b1d1cbe50be">Tucker Carlson</a>&nbsp;are among the prominent backers of Trump who have argued that voters supported Trump because he would not involve the nation in foreign conflicts.

GOP Kentucky Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rand-paul-tariffs-president-donald-trump-631212a58e5e4ade6d136f5f718fe2da">Rand Paul</a>&nbsp;praised Trump for having shown restraint and said he hoped the president's “instincts will prevail.”

“So, I think it’s going to be very hard to come out of this and have a negotiated settlement,” Paul told NBC's “Meet the Press." ”I see more war and more carnage. And it’s not the U.S.’s job to be involved in this war.”

In an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” GOP South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-south-carolina-senate-annie-andrews-26ae12355e9e5d1a44047bcbb6cdc36c">Lindsey Graham</a>&nbsp;said he preferred diplomatic efforts, but if diplomacy doesn’t work Trump should “go all in” on destroying Iran's nuclear program.

“If that means providing bombs, provide bombs,” he said. “If that means flying with Israel, fly with Israel.”

Associated Press writer Gary Fields contributed reporting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750032268701.png" alt="President Trump spoke to reporters outside the White House Sunday-Image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump spoke to reporters outside the White House Sunday-Image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;rejected a plan presented by Israel to the U.S. to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter.The Israelis informed the Trump administration in recent days that they had developed a credible plan to kill Khamenei.After being briefed on the plan, the White House made clear to Israeli officials that Trump was opposed to the Israelis making the move, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.The Trump administration is desperate to keep Israel’s military operation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-netanyahu-nuclear-trump-13d04138deb51e3f6315fa4ab5973cc0">aimed at decapitating</a>&nbsp;Iran’s nuclear program from exploding into an even more expansive conflict and saw the plan to kill Khamenei as a move that would enflame the conflict and potentially destabilize the region.Asked about the plan during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Special Report with Bret Baier," Israeli Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;did not directly address whether the White House rejected the plan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/TWm8Okb1ym">pic.twitter.com/TWm8Okb1ym</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1934247952471531523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“But I can tell you, I think that we do what we need to do, we’ll do what we need to do," Netanyahu said. “And I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”Netanyahu spokesperson Omer Dostri later called reports about the Israeli plan to kill Khamenei “fake.”Netanyahu in the Fox interview also said regime change “could certainly be the result” of the conflict “because the Iranian regime is very weak.”Trump's rejection of the proposal was first reported by Reuters.Meanwhile, Trump on Sunday issued a stark warning to Iran not to retaliate against U.S. targets in the Middle East.Trump in an early morning social media posting said the United States “had nothing to do with the attack on Iran” as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-iran-war-latest-06-15-2025-291df01b03179cd414db21ca33791b39">Israel and Iran traded missile attacks</a>&nbsp;for the third straight day. Iran, however, has said it would hold the U.S. — which has provided Israel with much of its deep arsenal of weaponry — responsible for its backing of Israel.“If we are attacked in any way, shape or form by Iran, the full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before,” Trump said.Hours later Trump took to social media again to predict “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal" and that it could come “soon.”But as he departed the White House on Sunday evening for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/g7-summit-canada-trump-iran-b98aad10779d9af5456c1a6553ffe59b">Group of Seven leaders summit</a>&nbsp;in the Canadian Rockies, Trump was more tempered in comments to reporters about when the Israeli strikes and Iranian retaliation would wind down.“I hope there is going to be a deal, and we’ll see what happens, but sometimes they have to fight it out,” Trump said.The conflict is expected to loom large during his talks with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the European Union.The U.S. president said he has a track record for de-escalating conflicts, and that he would get Israel and Iran to cease hostilities “just like I got India and Pakistan to" after the two countries' recent cross-border confrontation.India struck targets inside Pakistan after militants in April&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kashmir-tourist-attack-dc7067a18899d9e7ff7726d4e05982c3">massacred 26 tourists</a>&nbsp;in Indian-controlled Kashmir. Pakistan has denied any links to the attackers. Following India’s strikes in Pakistan, the two sides exchanged heavy fire along their de facto borders, followed by missile and drone strikes into each other’s territories,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-india-missiles-border-tensions-21a2859557179f2b32d6b8d5628ac853">mainly targeting military installations and airbases</a>.It was the most serious confrontation in decades between the countries. Trump on Sunday repeated his claim,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">disputed by India</a>, that the two sides agreed to a ceasefire after he had offered to help both nations with trade if they agreed to de-escalate.Trump also pointed to efforts by his administration during his first term to mediate disputes between Serbia and Kosovo and Egypt and Ethiopia.“Likewise, we will have PEACE, soon, between Israel and Iran!” Trump posted. “Many calls and meetings now taking place. I do a lot, and never get credit for anything, but that’s OK, the PEOPLE understand. MAKE THE MIDDLE EAST GREAT AGAIN!”There's a divide in Trump world about how far the president should go in backing Israel.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mtg-greene-ossoff-georgia-senate-6df53b2ef8bf9d49272a4b4359abad21">Marjorie Taylor Greene</a>, R-Ga., Turning Point USA founder&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-trump-turning-point-maga-d08a98e439fa4e902cb756d7e35153db">Charlie Kirk</a>&nbsp;and former Fox News host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tucker-carlson-out-fox-news-58a8421c55978f223b9c4b1d1cbe50be">Tucker Carlson</a>&nbsp;are among the prominent backers of Trump who have argued that voters supported Trump because he would not involve the nation in foreign conflicts.GOP Kentucky Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rand-paul-tariffs-president-donald-trump-631212a58e5e4ade6d136f5f718fe2da">Rand Paul</a>&nbsp;praised Trump for having shown restraint and said he hoped the president's “instincts will prevail.”“So, I think it’s going to be very hard to come out of this and have a negotiated settlement,” Paul told NBC's “Meet the Press." ”I see more war and more carnage. And it’s not the U.S.’s job to be involved in this war.”In an interview on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” GOP South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lindsey-graham-south-carolina-senate-annie-andrews-26ae12355e9e5d1a44047bcbb6cdc36c">Lindsey Graham</a>&nbsp;said he preferred diplomatic efforts, but if diplomacy doesn’t work Trump should “go all in” on destroying Iran's nuclear program.“If that means providing bombs, provide bombs,” he said. “If that means flying with Israel, fly with Israel.”—Associated Press writer Gary Fields contributed reporting.

Trump told Israel not to kill Iran's supreme leader 

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sofia-resnick/">Sofia Resnick</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

If the budget reconciliation package before the U.S. Senate becomes law in the coming weeks, reproductive health advocates say the provision that would cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood clinics could serve as a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, eliminating access to 1 in 4 abortion providers.

The Republican-led bill, which already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-massive-tax-and-spending-bill-slashing-medicaid" target="_blank">passed the House</a>&nbsp;by a slim margin, is more than 1,000 pages and includes sweeping tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthy coupled with steep spending cuts to social services, including Medicaid.

On page 339 of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text" target="_blank">the bill</a>, Republicans included a provision prohibiting Medicaid funding from going to any sexual and reproductive health clinics that provide abortions and received more than $1 million in federal and state Medicaid funding in fiscal year 2024. While there may be a few independent clinics with operating budgets that high, it effectively singles out Planned Parenthood clinics.

Planned Parenthood clinics rely heavily on Medicaid funding, not to provide abortions, which is not permitted by federal law (except in cases of rape, incest or life-threatening health emergencies), but to provide standard reproductive health care at little to no cost, including treatment for sexually transmitted infections and cancer screenings, as well as contraception. Planned Parenthood provides services for about 2 million patients every year, and 64% of its clinics are in rural areas or places with health care provider shortages.

A Planned Parenthood spokesperson said people who use Medicaid make up half of the total patient volume nationwide for essential health care services provided by their clinics. Even though those patients aren’t seeking abortion care, funding cuts would affect the financial sustainability of those clinics, the spokesperson said.

The organization already identified that 200 of its clinics in 24 states are at risk of closure with the cuts but told States Newsroom on Thursday that further analysis revealed nearly all of those clinics — 90% — are in states where abortion is legal, and in 12 states, approximately 75% of abortion-providing Planned Parenthood health centers could close. The entire organization has about 600 clinics in 48 states.

The “One Big Beautiful Bill” would result in nearly 11 million people losing access to health insurance by 2034,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-backed-giant-tax-and-spending-bill-bloats-deficit-24t-nonpartisan-cbo-says" target="_blank">according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office</a>, and add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years.

Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told States Newsroom she and other advocates have been meeting with senators to lobby against the bill’s passage, emphasizing that it will have an outsized negative effect on rural clinics and hospitals.

“We are encouraging everyone to reach out to their representatives about this,” McGill Johnson said. “They know that they’re doing this under a watchful eye, and we want to make sure their constituents know about it.”

The defunding effort would be a win for several prominent anti-abortion organizations that have long lobbied for this change and nearly achieved it in 2017 with a similar budget bill. Americans United for Life sent a fundraising email to its supporters Thursday saying this is a “crossroads” for abortion in America.&nbsp;

“So far in 2025 more than a dozen Planned Parenthood clinics have closed, their taxpayer funding is hanging by a thread, and the highest-ranking federal health officials are undertaking a ‘top-to-bottom review’ on the abortion pill,” the email attributed to CEO John Mize said. “It’s possible that very soon, mail-order abortion could be walked back, and more Planned Parenthood locations could be closing their doors for good.”

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, another anti-abortion organization that helped draft the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint for the next Republican president, told States Newsroom in an emailed statement that the budget provision should be no surprise, and there are better uses for the funding, like community health centers.

“Republicans have identified budgetary concerns with funding Big Abortion since 2015, and the bill language to do so has remained substantially the same,” said SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser.

Closures would affect already fragile health care system, Midwest doctor says

Planned Parenthood has already closed some clinics around the country, including eight clinics across Iowa and Minnesota at the end of May. Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, which includes Iowa and Minnesota, said the U.S. Health and Human Services’ decision to freeze Title X family planning funding to many reproductive health clinics at the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-targets-planned-parenthoods-family-planning-grants" target="_blank">&nbsp;beginning of May</a>&nbsp;contributed to the decision to close those clinics. The North Central States affiliates serve more than 93,000 patients each year, about 20,000 of which use telehealth services.

About 30% of those patients use Medicaid to access care, she said.

“When Planned Parenthood isn’t able to provide services to patients as an essential safety net provider, it has ripple effects across the health care system at large,” Traxler said. “We are already sitting in a time in our country, and have for several decades, where we have patients who can’t access care.”

Clare Coleman, president and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, told States Newsroom that 865 Title X clinics in 23 states are impacted by the federal freeze. She said there are no Title X services in eight states: California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee and Utah. She said the funding freeze affects one-quarter of all Title X funding grantees, translating to about 842,000 patients who have lost access to care.

“In the two months since HHS withheld federal funding for nearly two dozen Title X family planning grants, affected grantees have been struggling with the unknown of whether they will ever receive the vital funds,” Coleman said in an email. “Some have had to close clinics, lay off staff, and reduce essential contraceptive and sexual health care services. … On top of the Title X funding freeze, proposed Medicaid cuts will be devastating for Title X grantees. Rates of unintended pregnancies and STIs will increase, cancer screenings and diagnoses will be delayed, and decades of public health progress will be reversed.”

After the Iowa Legislature axed Planned Parenthood from its family planning program, Traxler said, the rates of sexually transmitted infections increased considerably across the state — an outcome verified by a&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2797344" target="_blank">2022 medical study</a>. She expects similar effects from these cuts.

People already travel long distances for abortion care, she said, and that will only get worse if more cuts come to pass. But she also expects to see patients start traveling long distances for routine gynecological care.

‘Changes to Medicaid … only adds to the chaos’

Like many independent abortion clinics, the all-trimester Maryland abortion clinic Partners in Abortion Care does not receive Title X funding. But because Maryland is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/the-hyde-amendment-and-coverage-for-abortion-services-under-medicaid-in-the-post-roe-era/#:~:text=Because%20Medicaid%20is%20jointly%20funded,abortion%20services%20for%20Medicaid%20enrollees." target="_blank">17 states</a>&nbsp;whose Medicaid program covers abortions, they do see a lot of patients who are on Medicaid, at a significant cost to the clinic. Certified nurse-midwife and Partners co-founder Morgan Nuzzo said the clinic did not receive more than $1 million in federal or state Medicaid dollars in fiscal year 2024, and in fact loses about $1 million annually for seeing Medicaid patients.

Nuzzo said Maryland’s Medicaid program reimburses first-trimester abortions at a “decent rate,” but at a very low rate for later abortion cases, which are more medically complex.

“After about 15 to 16 weeks [gestation], we’re losing money on these cases,” Nuzzo said. “We’ve been billing now for almost a year through the state. In second and third-trimester abortion care, we’re losing about 85% of what we would charge for a cash pay fee. So that comes out to about $250,000 a quarter that we are losing just by the under-reimbursement from Maryland Medicaid.”

For that reason, Nuzzo is hopeful about Maryland’s new $25 million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bill-creating-abortion-grant-fund-under-and-uninsured-gains-momentum-house-senate" target="_blank">Public Health Abortion Grant Program</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0930" target="_blank">recently approved</a>&nbsp;by Gov. Wes Moore. The program will be open to clinics like Partners and abortion funds like the Baltimore Abortion Fund, but Nuzzo said it could be a while before that funding is available. Right now she is uncertain and concerned about how the federal reconciliation bill could potentially impact Maryland’s Medicaid program.&nbsp;

Because Partners provides abortions for all trimesters, they see patients from all over the country, and even the world, and the vast majority need financial assistance, Nuzzo said.

“People are traveling further for their procedures, just like they were before,” she said. “The landscape is constantly changing, almost week to week, about where you can access abortion, which is confusing and chaotic to patients. Changes to Medicaid and insurance coverage of abortion only adds to the chaos.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1665657445227.png" alt="&nbsp;Planned Parenthood has identified 200 of its clinics in 24 states that are at risk of closure through federal cuts under the budget reconciliation package before the U.S. Senate. -Google image" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Planned Parenthood has identified 200 of its clinics in 24 states that are at risk of closure through federal cuts under the budget reconciliation package before the U.S. Senate. -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sofia-resnick/">Sofia Resnick</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>If the budget reconciliation package before the U.S. Senate becomes law in the coming weeks, reproductive health advocates say the provision that would cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood clinics could serve as a backdoor nationwide abortion ban, eliminating access to 1 in 4 abortion providers.The Republican-led bill, which already&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-republicans-push-through-massive-tax-and-spending-bill-slashing-medicaid" target="_blank">passed the House</a>&nbsp;by a slim margin, is more than 1,000 pages and includes sweeping tax cuts that mostly benefit the wealthy coupled with steep spending cuts to social services, including Medicaid.On page 339 of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text" target="_blank">the bill</a>, Republicans included a provision prohibiting Medicaid funding from going to any sexual and reproductive health clinics that provide abortions and received more than $1 million in federal and state Medicaid funding in fiscal year 2024. While there may be a few independent clinics with operating budgets that high, it effectively singles out Planned Parenthood clinics.Planned Parenthood clinics rely heavily on Medicaid funding, not to provide abortions, which is not permitted by federal law (except in cases of rape, incest or life-threatening health emergencies), but to provide standard reproductive health care at little to no cost, including treatment for sexually transmitted infections and cancer screenings, as well as contraception. Planned Parenthood provides services for about 2 million patients every year, and 64% of its clinics are in rural areas or places with health care provider shortages.A Planned Parenthood spokesperson said people who use Medicaid make up half of the total patient volume nationwide for essential health care services provided by their clinics. Even though those patients aren’t seeking abortion care, funding cuts would affect the financial sustainability of those clinics, the spokesperson said.The organization already identified that 200 of its clinics in 24 states are at risk of closure with the cuts but told States Newsroom on Thursday that further analysis revealed nearly all of those clinics — 90% — are in states where abortion is legal, and in 12 states, approximately 75% of abortion-providing Planned Parenthood health centers could close. The entire organization has about 600 clinics in 48 states.The “One Big Beautiful Bill” would result in nearly 11 million people losing access to health insurance by 2034,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-backed-giant-tax-and-spending-bill-bloats-deficit-24t-nonpartisan-cbo-says" target="_blank">according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office</a>, and add $2.4 trillion to the federal deficit over the next 10 years.Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Action Fund, told States Newsroom she and other advocates have been meeting with senators to lobby against the bill’s passage, emphasizing that it will have an outsized negative effect on rural clinics and hospitals.“We are encouraging everyone to reach out to their representatives about this,” McGill Johnson said. “They know that they’re doing this under a watchful eye, and we want to make sure their constituents know about it.”The defunding effort would be a win for several prominent anti-abortion organizations that have long lobbied for this change and nearly achieved it in 2017 with a similar budget bill. Americans United for Life sent a fundraising email to its supporters Thursday saying this is a “crossroads” for abortion in America.&nbsp;“So far in 2025 more than a dozen Planned Parenthood clinics have closed, their taxpayer funding is hanging by a thread, and the highest-ranking federal health officials are undertaking a ‘top-to-bottom review’ on the abortion pill,” the email attributed to CEO John Mize said. “It’s possible that very soon, mail-order abortion could be walked back, and more Planned Parenthood locations could be closing their doors for good.”Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, another anti-abortion organization that helped draft the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint for the next Republican president, told States Newsroom in an emailed statement that the budget provision should be no surprise, and there are better uses for the funding, like community health centers.“Republicans have identified budgetary concerns with funding Big Abortion since 2015, and the bill language to do so has remained substantially the same,” said SBA President Marjorie Dannenfelser.<h2>Closures would affect already fragile health care system, Midwest doctor says</h2>Planned Parenthood has already closed some clinics around the country, including eight clinics across Iowa and Minnesota at the end of May. Dr. Sarah Traxler, chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood North Central States, which includes Iowa and Minnesota, said the U.S. Health and Human Services’ decision to freeze Title X family planning funding to many reproductive health clinics at the<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trump-administration-targets-planned-parenthoods-family-planning-grants" target="_blank">&nbsp;beginning of May</a>&nbsp;contributed to the decision to close those clinics. The North Central States affiliates serve more than 93,000 patients each year, about 20,000 of which use telehealth services.About 30% of those patients use Medicaid to access care, she said.“When Planned Parenthood isn’t able to provide services to patients as an essential safety net provider, it has ripple effects across the health care system at large,” Traxler said. “We are already sitting in a time in our country, and have for several decades, where we have patients who can’t access care.”Clare Coleman, president and CEO of the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, told States Newsroom that 865 Title X clinics in 23 states are impacted by the federal freeze. She said there are no Title X services in eight states: California, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Tennessee and Utah. She said the funding freeze affects one-quarter of all Title X funding grantees, translating to about 842,000 patients who have lost access to care.“In the two months since HHS withheld federal funding for nearly two dozen Title X family planning grants, affected grantees have been struggling with the unknown of whether they will ever receive the vital funds,” Coleman said in an email. “Some have had to close clinics, lay off staff, and reduce essential contraceptive and sexual health care services. … On top of the Title X funding freeze, proposed Medicaid cuts will be devastating for Title X grantees. Rates of unintended pregnancies and STIs will increase, cancer screenings and diagnoses will be delayed, and decades of public health progress will be reversed.”After the Iowa Legislature axed Planned Parenthood from its family planning program, Traxler said, the rates of sexually transmitted infections increased considerably across the state — an outcome verified by a&nbsp;<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2797344" target="_blank">2022 medical study</a>. She expects similar effects from these cuts.People already travel long distances for abortion care, she said, and that will only get worse if more cuts come to pass. But she also expects to see patients start traveling long distances for routine gynecological care.<h2>‘Changes to Medicaid … only adds to the chaos’</h2>Like many independent abortion clinics, the all-trimester Maryland abortion clinic Partners in Abortion Care does not receive Title X funding. But because Maryland is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kff.org/womens-health-policy/issue-brief/the-hyde-amendment-and-coverage-for-abortion-services-under-medicaid-in-the-post-roe-era/#:~:text=Because%20Medicaid%20is%20jointly%20funded,abortion%20services%20for%20Medicaid%20enrollees." target="_blank">17 states</a>&nbsp;whose Medicaid program covers abortions, they do see a lot of patients who are on Medicaid, at a significant cost to the clinic. Certified nurse-midwife and Partners co-founder Morgan Nuzzo said the clinic did not receive more than $1 million in federal or state Medicaid dollars in fiscal year 2024, and in fact loses about $1 million annually for seeing Medicaid patients.Nuzzo said Maryland’s Medicaid program reimburses first-trimester abortions at a “decent rate,” but at a very low rate for later abortion cases, which are more medically complex.“After about 15 to 16 weeks [gestation], we’re losing money on these cases,” Nuzzo said. “We’ve been billing now for almost a year through the state. In second and third-trimester abortion care, we’re losing about 85% of what we would charge for a cash pay fee. So that comes out to about $250,000 a quarter that we are losing just by the under-reimbursement from Maryland Medicaid.”For that reason, Nuzzo is hopeful about Maryland’s new $25 million&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bill-creating-abortion-grant-fund-under-and-uninsured-gains-momentum-house-senate" target="_blank">Public Health Abortion Grant Program</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0930" target="_blank">recently approved</a>&nbsp;by Gov. Wes Moore. The program will be open to clinics like Partners and abortion funds like the Baltimore Abortion Fund, but Nuzzo said it could be a while before that funding is available. Right now she is uncertain and concerned about how the federal reconciliation bill could potentially impact Maryland’s Medicaid program.&nbsp;Because Partners provides abortions for all trimesters, they see patients from all over the country, and even the world, and the vast majority need financial assistance, Nuzzo said.“People are traveling further for their procedures, just like they were before,” she said. “The landscape is constantly changing, almost week to week, about where you can access abortion, which is confusing and chaotic to patients. Changes to Medicaid and insurance coverage of abortion only adds to the chaos.”

Planned Parenthood at risk of closing hundreds of clinics across the country

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A $1.5 billion stadium funding plan aimed at convincing the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri was signed into law Saturday afternoon by Gov. Mike Kehoe shortly before his trip to France on a trade mission.

Kehoe signed two other bills on Saturday: one providing $125 million in aid for communities hit by severe weather and another spending around $200 million on various construction projects across the state.

The bills were the product of a two week special legislative session called by Kehoe last month designed, primarily, to counter an offer by Kansas to fund up to 70% of the construction costs for new stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals if they moved across the state line. That deal expires at the end of the month.

Missouri’s counter offer would allocate state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in Jackson or Clay counties.

The cost is estimated at close to $1.5 billion over 30 years.

Both teams have expressed interest in leaving Missouri when the lease on their current stadiums expire in 2030.

“We called legislators back to Jefferson City because the stakes were too high to wait,” Kehoe said in an emailed statement announcing he signed the stadium funding deal.

The disaster relief provisions in the legislation address both the devastation of the May 16 tornado in St. Louis and the damages suffered by other Missourians in storms and flooding earlier in the year. The aid was required due to uncertainty about the federal response to the tornado.

Kehoe asked President Donald Trump for a federal disaster declaration for the tornado on May 25 and for April 29 storms in Scott on May 19. The president didn’t officially declare a disaster, opening the door for federal aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/trump-allows-fema-aid-for-st-louis-tornado-recovery/">until June 10</a>.

The governor was expected to quickly sign the bills, which passed earlier this week, because he will be in Paris on Monday for his first international trade mission. During Kehoe’s absence, Lt. Gov. David Wasinger will serve as acting governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1748263709817.png" alt="GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs, is pictured on Sat. Feb. 8 (Anna Spoerre/The Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A $1.5 billion stadium funding plan aimed at convincing the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri was signed into law Saturday afternoon by Gov. Mike Kehoe shortly before his trip to France on a trade mission.Kehoe signed two other bills on Saturday: one providing $125 million in aid for communities hit by severe weather and another spending around $200 million on various construction projects across the state.The bills were the product of a two week special legislative session called by Kehoe last month designed, primarily, to counter an offer by Kansas to fund up to 70% of the construction costs for new stadiums for the Chiefs and Royals if they moved across the state line. That deal expires at the end of the month.Missouri’s counter offer would allocate state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in Jackson or Clay counties.The cost is estimated at close to $1.5 billion over 30 years.Both teams have expressed interest in leaving Missouri when the lease on their current stadiums expire in 2030.“We called legislators back to Jefferson City because the stakes were too high to wait,” Kehoe said in an emailed statement announcing he signed the stadium funding deal.The disaster relief provisions in the legislation address both the devastation of the May 16 tornado in St. Louis and the damages suffered by other Missourians in storms and flooding earlier in the year. The aid was required due to uncertainty about the federal response to the tornado.Kehoe asked President Donald Trump for a federal disaster declaration for the tornado on May 25 and for April 29 storms in Scott on May 19. The president didn’t officially declare a disaster, opening the door for federal aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/trump-allows-fema-aid-for-st-louis-tornado-recovery/">until June 10</a>.The governor was expected to quickly sign the bills, which passed earlier this week, because he will be in Paris on Monday for his first international trade mission. During Kehoe’s absence, Lt. Gov. David Wasinger will serve as acting governor.

Missouri governor signs Kansas City stadium funding

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The search for the man wanted in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-197b8073b66449297986f8276e6dcfc9">shootings of two Democratic Minnesota lawmakers</a>&nbsp;led to the discovery Sunday of a vehicle authorities believed he was using in a rural area outside Minneapolis as residents on edge struggled to make sense of the brazen political violence.

Former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-197b8073b66449297986f8276e6dcfc9">House Speaker Melissa Hortman</a>&nbsp;and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday. Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin home, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away.

Authorities named 57-year-old Vance Boelter as a suspect, saying he wore a mask as he posed as a police officer, even allegedly altering a vehicle to make it look like a police car. The FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They circulated a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings after he fled the area on foot.

&nbsp; (Click below to watch Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz statement.)

Near where they located the vehicle, investigators found a cowboy hat and were working to definitively determine whether it belongs to Boelter. Law enforcement officers were searching the area, including nearby homes, the officials said. The officials could not discuss details of the ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

“We believe he’s somewhere in the vicinity and that they are going to find him,” U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota said Sunday NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But right now, everyone’s on edge here, because we know that this man will kill at a second.”

Residents of rural Sibley County, roughly 50 miles (80 kilometers) southwest of Minneapolis, received an emergency alert via text message about the located vehicle Sunday.

“Keep your doors locked and vehicles secured,” the alert read. “Law enforcement will be going to area residences to ask to search properties.”

The shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">come</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arson-pennsylvania-governor-political-violence-388da01e84661fb12ac79c626b0004eb">political leaders nationwide</a>&nbsp;have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions.&nbsp;<a href="https://lawmakers%20on%20sunday%20continued%20to%20reel%20from%20the%20shooting%20of%20two%20democratic%20minnesota%20state%20legislators%20in%20their%20homes%20that%20led%20to%20the%20death%20of%20one%20and%20her%20husband,%20contemplating%20a%20previously%20unthinkable%20world%20where%20democratically-elected%20representatives%20need%20full-time%20security%20details%20to%20protect%20them%20from%20the%20public./">Lawmakers said they were disturbed</a>&nbsp;by the attacks as Twin Cities residents mourned.

Brightly colored flowers and small American flags were placed Sunday on the gray marbled stone of the Minnesota State Capitol along with a photo of the Hortmans. People scrawled messages on small notes including, “You were our leader through the hardest of times. Rest in Power.”

The Hoffmans were recovering from surgery, according to their nephew, Mat Ollig.

“It’s just a long road to healing," he said Sunday.

Authorities have not yet given details on a motive.

A list of about 70 or so names was found in writings recovered from the fake police vehicle that was left at the crime scene, the officials said. The writings and list of names included prominent state and federal lawmakers and community leaders, along with abortion rights advocates and information about healthcare facilities, according to the officials.

A Minnesota official told the AP that lawmakers who had been outspoken in favor of abortion rights were on the list. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-trump-philadelphia-los-angeles-immigration-raids-a3b67d23733cd060f8d01aef1e391dbf">“No Kings” demonstrations</a>&nbsp;against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway, including one that drew tens of thousands to the State Capitol in St. Paul. Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car.

Law enforcement agents recovered several AK-style firearms from the suspect’s vehicle, and he was believed to still be armed with a pistol, a person familiar with the matter told AP. The person could not publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Boelter is a former political appointee who served on the same state workforce development board as Hoffman, records show, though it was not clear if or how well they knew each other.

Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans’ home shortly after 2 a.m. and found the couple with multiple gunshot wounds.

After seeing who the victims were, police sent officers to proactively check on Hortman’s home. There they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer leaving the house. Officers confronted him, and the suspect fired on them before retreating back into the home and fleeing on foot, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.

Around 6 a.m. Saturday, Boelter texted friends to apologize for his actions, though he didn't say what he had done.

“I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. … I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused," he wrote in messages viewed by the AP.

On social media, Gov. Tim Walz remembered Hortman Sunday as, “The most consequential Speaker in state history.”

Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-legislature-power-struggle-republicans-democrats-7db12f51ad0e47d49f4c50f56cb1e5c4">three-week walkout</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power-sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita.

Hortman used her position as speaker in 2023 to champion expanded protections for abortion rights, including legislation to solidify Minnesota’s status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them.

Melissa Hortman died at the scene while her husband was pronounced dead at a hospital, according to the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office.

Hoffman, 60, was first elected in 2012 and was chair of the Senate Human Services Committee, which oversees one of the biggest parts of the state budget. He and his wife have one daughter.

Klobuchar condemned online threats and urged people Sunday to think twice before posting accusations or motives.

“This is a person that did everything for the right reasons. And regardless of political parties, look at her face before you send out your next post,” Klobuchar said of Hortman on CNN's ”State of the Union."

The shootings are the latest in a series of attacks against lawmakers across parties.

In April a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-arson-fire-pennsylvania-governor-passover-ae70cd73ccddd6f49a1d017ab7d07784">Gov. Josh Shapiro</a>, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover.

In July 2024, Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-shooting-history-1636c4cfc7d8a239bf83b9f64817eab0">grazed on the ear</a>&nbsp;by one of a hail of bullets that killed a Trump supporter. Two months later a man with a rifle was discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-fee81d8bcf737bfcde2ee8e5cea88465">near the president's Florida golf course</a>&nbsp;and arrested.

Other incidents include a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-nancy-hammer-attack-depape-sentence-b41b6c776fb27f62913e3754afa1ceac">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;in their San Francisco home and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-whitmer-kidnapping-plot-convictions-042227f68a3fcc49ea91126388cd91de">to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer</a>.

Balsamo and Durkin Richer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Giovanna Dell'Orto in Champlin, Minnesota; Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York; Michael Biesecker in Washington; Jim Mustian in New York; Sophia Tareen in Chicago and Obed Lamy in St. Paul, Minnesota, contributed to this report.

BROOKLYN PARK, Minn. (AP) — A massive search was stretching into its second day for a man who authorities say posed as a police officer and fatally shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-197b8073b66449297986f8276e6dcfc9">a Democratic state lawmaker</a>&nbsp;in her suburban Minneapolis home, an act Gov. Tim Walz called “a politically motivated assassination.” Authorities said the suspect also shot and wounded a second lawmaker and was trying to flee the area.

Former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday. Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, were injured at their Champlin address, about 9 miles (about 15 kilometers) away.

Authorities identified the suspect as 57-year-old Vance Boelter, and the FBI issued a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to his arrest and conviction. They shared a photo taken Saturday of Boelter wearing a tan cowboy hat and asked the public to report sightings. Hundreds of law enforcement officers fanned out in the search for the suspect.

Authorities had not given any details on a possible motive as of Saturday night.

The attacks prompted warnings to other state elected officials and the cancellation of planned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-trump-philadelphia-los-angeles-immigration-raids-a3b67d23733cd060f8d01aef1e391dbf">“No Kings” demonstrations</a>&nbsp;against President Donald Trump, though some went ahead anyway. Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets.

A Minnesota official told AP the suspect’s writings also contained information targeting prominent lawmakers who have been outspoken in favor of abortion rights. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

The shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/political-violence-assassination-minnesota-trump-3c750cff0749633872ab6101bfa23b23">happened at a time</a>&nbsp;when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arson-pennsylvania-governor-political-violence-388da01e84661fb12ac79c626b0004eb">political leaders nationwide</a>&nbsp;have been attacked, harassed and intimidated amid deep political divisions.

“We must all, in Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence,” said Walz, a Democrat. He also ordered flags to fly at half-staff in Hortman's honor.

“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!” President Donald Trump said in a statement.

Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Hoffmans' home shortly after 2 a.m., Champlin police said, and found the couple with multiple gunshot wounds.

After seeing who the victims were, police sent officers to proactively check on Hortman's home. There they encountered what appeared to be a police vehicle and a man dressed as an officer at the door, leaving the house.

“When officers confronted him, the individual immediately fired upon the officers who exchanged gunfire, and the suspect retreated back into the home” and escaped on foot, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.

Multiple bullet holes could be seen in the front door of Hoffman’s home.

John and Yvette Hoffman each underwent surgery, according to Walz.

Hortman, 55, had been the top Democratic leader in the state House since 2017. She led Democrats in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-legislature-power-struggle-republicans-democrats-7db12f51ad0e47d49f4c50f56cb1e5c4">three-week walkout</a>&nbsp;at the beginning of this year’s session in a power struggle with Republicans. Under a power sharing agreement, she turned the gavel over to Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth and assumed the title speaker emerita.

Walz called her a “formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota."

Hortman and her husband had two adult children.

The initial autopsy reports from the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office gave their cause of death as “multiple gunshot wounds.”

The reports said Melissa Hortman died at the scene while her husband was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Boelter was appointed to the workforce development board in 2016 and then reappointed in 2019 to a four-year term that expired in 2023, state records show.

Corporate records show Boelter’s wife filed to create a company called Praetorian Guard Security Services LLC with the same Green Isle mailing address listed for the couple. Boelter’s wife is listed as president and CEO and he is listed as director of security patrols on the company's website.

The website says the company provides armed security for property and events and features a photo of an SUV painted in a two-tone black and silver pattern similar to a police vehicle. Another photo shows a man in black tactical gear with a military-style helmet and a ballistic vest.

An online resume says Boelter is a security contractor who has worked in the Middle East and Africa, in addition to past managerial roles at companies in Minnesota.

Around 6 a.m., Boelter texted friends to say he had “made some choices,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.startribune.com/brooklyn-park-police-searching-for-suspect-in-multiple-targeted-shootings/601372993">Minnesota Star Tribune reported</a>.

In the messages, read to reporters by David Carlson, Boelter did not specify what he had done but said: “I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way. … I’m sorry for all the trouble this has caused.”

Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the attack “evil” and said she was “heartbroken beyond words” by the killings.

In April a suspect set fire to the home of Democratic Pennsylvania&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/josh-shapiro-arson-fire-pennsylvania-governor-passover-ae70cd73ccddd6f49a1d017ab7d07784">Gov. Josh Shapiro</a>, forcing him and his family to flee during the Jewish holiday of Passover. The suspect said he planned to beat Shapiro with a small sledgehammer if he found him, according to court documents.

Other incidents include a 2022 hammer attack on the husband of then-House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paul-pelosi-nancy-hammer-attack-depape-sentence-b41b6c776fb27f62913e3754afa1ceac">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;in their San Francisco home and a 2020 plot by anti-government extremists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-whitmer-kidnapping-plot-convictions-042227f68a3fcc49ea91126388cd91de">to kidnap Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer</a>&nbsp;and start a civil war.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said he asked Capitol Police to “immediately increase security” for Minnesota Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith. He also asked Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican, to hold a briefing on member security.

Karnowski reported from Minneapolis, and Durkin Richer from Washington. Associated Press writers Giovanna Dell'Orto in Champlin, Minnesota, Carolyn Thompson in Buffalo, New York, and Michael Biesecker in Washington contributed.

Search for suspect in shooting of 2 MN lawmakers leads to one of his vehicles

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-parade-troops-tanks-birthday-protests-4cca4da0e89908d39c820240744375a1">massive military parade</a>&nbsp;commemorating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-parade-army-trump-f56795c86d802e1c4d40c4de5b001db5">250th birthday of the U.S. Army</a>, which coincides with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-fort-bragg-6df36485dec1df2350d5b7be0882a703">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s 79th birthday was staged Saturday in Washington, D.C. The event included about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-parade-army-trump-birthday-veterans-0912f4009b4d9fc157b35bb9edf9375a">M1 Abrams battle tanks</a>, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-parade-military-secret-service-dc-birthday-cb66cba29cdc06ba798521454918271d">possibly 200,000 attendees</a>&nbsp;and heightened security to match.&nbsp;

 Members of&nbsp;"The Big Red One" from Fort Riley were featured about 45 minutes into the parade.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749942516429.png" alt="Parade images from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Parade images from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-parade-troops-tanks-birthday-protests-4cca4da0e89908d39c820240744375a1">massive military parade</a>&nbsp;commemorating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-parade-army-trump-f56795c86d802e1c4d40c4de5b001db5">250th birthday of the U.S. Army</a>, which coincides with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-fort-bragg-6df36485dec1df2350d5b7be0882a703">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s 79th birthday was staged Saturday in Washington, D.C. The event included about 6,600 soldiers, 50 helicopters and 60-ton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/military-parade-army-trump-birthday-veterans-0912f4009b4d9fc157b35bb9edf9375a">M1 Abrams battle tanks</a>, as well as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-parade-military-secret-service-dc-birthday-cb66cba29cdc06ba798521454918271d">possibly 200,000 attendees</a>&nbsp;and heightened security to match.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F570562596109811%2F&show_text=true&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="429" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div> Members of&nbsp;"The Big Red One" from Fort Riley were featured about 45 minutes into the parade.&nbsp;<figure>
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 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/cCsaITcXM0">pic.twitter.com/cCsaITcXM0</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1934102041158127686?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749944294970.png" alt="Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and President Trump during the parade-image courtesy CSPAN" />
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🎥Soldiers from Kansas featured in the Army's 250th birthday parade

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Saturday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Harley Davidson driven by&nbsp; Guy L. Woods, 64, Fountain, Colorado, was westbound on Cherokee Street at 10th Street in Leavenworth. The driver&nbsp; failed to stop at the stop sign.

The motorcycle struck a westbound 2017 Toyota Camry driven by Shirley Fells, 68, Leavenworth.&nbsp; EMS transported Woods to Saint John Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Fells was not injured.&nbsp; Woods was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Saturday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Harley Davidson driven by&nbsp; Guy L. Woods, 64, Fountain, Colorado, was westbound on Cherokee Street at 10th Street in Leavenworth. The driver&nbsp; failed to stop at the stop sign.The motorcycle struck a westbound 2017 Toyota Camry driven by Shirley Fells, 68, Leavenworth.&nbsp; EMS transported Woods to Saint John Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Fells was not injured.&nbsp; Woods was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

KHP: Man dies after motorcycle, car crash

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas. City man is facing charges in connection with with a fatal shooting that took place in a northeast Kansas City neighborhood in March.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2652/DNicholsComplaintredacted">Demarion Nichols</a>, 19,&nbsp;faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder and one count of Armed Criminal Action, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

 If convicted, he could spend up to 30 years in prison.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2651/DNichols-PC-Statementredacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to the area of St. John Avenue and Monroe Avenue on March 26 and located the victim suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;

Video surveillance capturing the shooting showed the victim entering the store. A black Ford Fiesta arrived and backed into a parking spot. As the victim exited the store, a man, later identified as the Nichols exited the driver’s side of the Ford. He stared at the victim until the victim passed him, then pulled a firearm with an extended magazine from his left side and fired at the victim. He continued to shoot the victim even after the victim fell between two vehicles. Then Nichols went back to his vehicle and fled the scene.&nbsp;

Detectives were able to connect the defendant to the shooting through social media and tracing information from his cell phone that placed him on scene at the time of the shooting.

The defendant is being held without bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749675167498.png" alt="Nichols photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Nichols photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas. City man is facing charges in connection with with a fatal shooting that took place in a northeast Kansas City neighborhood in March.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2652/DNicholsComplaintredacted">Demarion Nichols</a>, 19,&nbsp;faces one count of 2nd Degree Murder and one count of Armed Criminal Action, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. If convicted, he could spend up to 30 years in prison.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2651/DNichols-PC-Statementredacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police responded to the area of St. John Avenue and Monroe Avenue on March 26 and located the victim suffering from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;Video surveillance capturing the shooting showed the victim entering the store. A black Ford Fiesta arrived and backed into a parking spot. As the victim exited the store, a man, later identified as the Nichols exited the driver’s side of the Ford. He stared at the victim until the victim passed him, then pulled a firearm with an extended magazine from his left side and fired at the victim. He continued to shoot the victim even after the victim fell between two vehicles. Then Nichols went back to his vehicle and fled the scene.&nbsp;Detectives were able to connect the defendant to the shooting through social media and tracing information from his cell phone that placed him on scene at the time of the shooting.The defendant is being held without bond.&nbsp;

Social media led to arrest of KC teen murder suspect 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/no-kings-protest-trump-us-b5de52994b7c592034fb19b7d3e9d577">protest President Donald Trump</a>, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights.

Organizers of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-things-to-know-trump-8d37f2bb2bf20ab503205b277e92b885">“No Kings” demonstrations</a>&nbsp;said millions had marched in hundreds of events. Governors across the U.S. had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering.

Confrontations were isolated. But police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-f8c4160e32be0ff77c5d4bf0ccef98cc">immigration enforcement raids</a>&nbsp;erupted a week earlier and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended.

Huge, boisterous crowds marched, danced, drummed, and chanted shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind “no kings” banners. Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol.

Trump was in Washington for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-parade-troops-tanks-birthday-protests-4cca4da0e89908d39c820240744375a1">military parade</a>&nbsp;marking the Army’s 250th anniversary that coincides with the president’s birthday. About 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington’s Logan Circle and chanted “Trump must go now” before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump — a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet — was wheeled through the crowd.

In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/mexican-flag-flown-la-immigration-protests-e321c28691f0fa61427c981f99bfed13">Mexican flags</a>, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday.

In Culpepper, Virginia, police said one person was struck by an SUV when a 21-year-old driver intentionally accelerated his SUV into the crowd as protesters were leaving a rally. The driver was charged with reckless driving.

The demonstrations come on the heels of the protests over the federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-2d1d5e2f638da600c4b34fe8bf8cf3aa">ordering the National Guard</a>&nbsp;and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.

“Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don’t do kings," the No Kings Coalition said in a statement Saturday afternoon after many events had ended.

Thousands gathered downtown, where organizers handed out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying “fight oligarchy” and “deport the mini-Mussolinis."

Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support.

“I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration’s layoffs of staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and Trump trying to rule by executive order, she said.

A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words “young man” in the song “Y.M.C.A.” to “con man.”

”I am what the successful American dream looks like,” said C.C. Téllez, an immigrant from Bolivia who attended the protest. “I’ve enjoyed great success here in the United States, and I’ve also contributed heavily to my community. And if there was space for me, I think there’s a way for everybody else to belong here as well.”

Thousands gathered in front of City Hall, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle before marching through the streets.

As protesters passed National Guard troops or U.S. Marines stationed at various buildings, most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies. But others chanted “shame” or “go home” at the troops.

Amid signs reading “They fear us don’t back down California” and “We carry dreams not danger, ” one demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. Another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's.

A few blocks from City Hall, protesters gathered in front of the downtown federal detention center being guarded by a line of Marines and other law enforcement. It was the first time that the Marines, in combat gear and holding rifles, have appeared at a demonstration since they were deployed to city on Friday with the stated mission of defending federal property.

Peter Varadi, 54, said he voted for Trump last November for “economic reasons.” Now, for the first time in his life, he is protesting, waving a Mexican and U.S. combined flag.

“I voted for Donald Trump, and now I regret that, because he’s taken this fascism to a new level,” Varadi said. “It’s Latinos now. Who’s next? It’s gays. Blacks after that. They’re coming for everybody.”

Even after the formal event ended, the downtown streets were packed with a jubilant crowd as people danced to salsa music and snacked on hot dogs and ice cream bought from vendors, many of whom are Latino immigrants. But the previously calm demonstration turned confrontational as police on horseback moved into the crowd and struck some people with wood rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building.

Marchers in the crowd that stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue had diverse reasons for coming, including anger over Trump’s immigration policies, support for the Palestinian people and outrage over what they said was an erosion of free speech rights.

But there were patriotic symbols, too. Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, who marched in suffragette white dresses, brought 250 American flags to hand out to people in the crowd.

“Our mothers who came out, fought for our rights, and now we're fighting for future generations as well,” Griswold said.

Some protesters held signs denouncing Trump while others banged drums.

“We’re here because we’re worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species,” said Sean Kryston, 28.

Gov. Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies “out of an abundance of caution” following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers.

Dozen of events were canceled, but tens of thousands still turned out for demonstrations in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol. Walz canceled his scheduled appearance at the St. Paul event.

Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets.

Seda Heng, 29, of Rochester, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. “These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation,” Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune.

Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park before marching, chanting “No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down."

Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way.

Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to “speak for what’s right” after mass deportations and Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.

“If we don’t stop it now, it’s just going to keep getting worse,” she said.

Naomi Mena said she traveled an hour to demonstrate in Charlotte to represent her “friends and family who sadly can’t have a voice out in public now” to stay safe.

A rally at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a “credible threat” to Democratic state lawmakers who were to attend.

Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749934172608.jpeg" alt="No Kings protest Saturday on the. Plaza in Kansas City -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>No Kings protest Saturday on the. Plaza in Kansas City -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Masses of demonstrators packed into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/no-kings-protest-trump-us-b5de52994b7c592034fb19b7d3e9d577">protest President Donald Trump</a>, marching through downtowns and small towns, blaring anti-authoritarian chants mixed with support for protecting democracy and immigrant rights.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749929043459.png" alt="No Kings rally in Philadelphia-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>No Kings rally in Philadelphia-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Happening right now, we’re leading the No Kings Protest through the Plaza to let everyone know—Kansas City doesn’t stand with Donald Trump! 🚫 <a href="https://t.co/dP6QZ4vL6I">pic.twitter.com/dP6QZ4vL6I</a>&mdash; Justice Horn (@JusticeHorn_) <a href="https://twitter.com/JusticeHorn_/status/1933977845044220213?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 14, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Organizers of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/no-kings-protest-things-to-know-trump-8d37f2bb2bf20ab503205b277e92b885">“No Kings” demonstrations</a>&nbsp;said millions had marched in hundreds of events. Governors across the U.S. had urged calm and vowed no tolerance for violence, while some mobilized the National Guard ahead of marchers gathering.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1749951214438.png" alt="No Kings rally at the Kansas Statehouse on Saturday -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>No Kings rally at the Kansas Statehouse on Saturday -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Confrontations were isolated. But police in Los Angeles, where protests over federal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-f8c4160e32be0ff77c5d4bf0ccef98cc">immigration enforcement raids</a>&nbsp;erupted a week earlier and sparked demonstrations across the country, used tear gas and crowd-control munitions to clear out protesters after the formal event ended.Huge, boisterous crowds marched, danced, drummed, and chanted shoulder-to-shoulder in New York, Denver, Chicago, Austin and Los Angeles, some behind “no kings” banners. Atlanta’s 5,000-capacity event quickly reached its limit, with thousands more gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol.Trump was in Washington for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-army-parade-troops-tanks-birthday-protests-4cca4da0e89908d39c820240744375a1">military parade</a>&nbsp;marking the Army’s 250th anniversary that coincides with the president’s birthday. About 200 protesters assembled in northwest Washington’s Logan Circle and chanted “Trump must go now” before erupting in cheers. A larger-than-life puppet of Trump — a caricature of the president wearing a crown and sitting on a golden toilet — was wheeled through the crowd.In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while others flew their flags upside down, a sign of distress.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/mexican-flag-flown-la-immigration-protests-e321c28691f0fa61427c981f99bfed13">Mexican flags</a>, which have become a fixture of the Los Angeles protests against immigration raids, also made an appearance at some demonstrations Saturday.In Culpepper, Virginia, police said one person was struck by an SUV when a 21-year-old driver intentionally accelerated his SUV into the crowd as protesters were leaving a rally. The driver was charged with reckless driving.The demonstrations come on the heels of the protests over the federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-raids-los-angeles-2d1d5e2f638da600c4b34fe8bf8cf3aa">ordering the National Guard</a>&nbsp;and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire.“Today, across red states and blue, rural towns and major cities, Americans stood in peaceful unity and made it clear: we don’t do kings," the No Kings Coalition said in a statement Saturday afternoon after many events had ended.<h2>Philadelphia</h2>Thousands gathered downtown, where organizers handed out small American flags and people carried protest signs saying “fight oligarchy” and “deport the mini-Mussolinis."Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support.“I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,” she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration’s layoffs of staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and Trump trying to rule by executive order, she said.A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words “young man” in the song “Y.M.C.A.” to “con man.””I am what the successful American dream looks like,” said C.C. Téllez, an immigrant from Bolivia who attended the protest. “I’ve enjoyed great success here in the United States, and I’ve also contributed heavily to my community. And if there was space for me, I think there’s a way for everybody else to belong here as well.”<h2>Los Angeles</h2>Thousands gathered in front of City Hall, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle before marching through the streets.As protesters passed National Guard troops or U.S. Marines stationed at various buildings, most interactions were friendly, with demonstrators giving fist bumps or posing for selfies. But others chanted “shame” or “go home” at the troops.Amid signs reading “They fear us don’t back down California” and “We carry dreams not danger, ” one demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. Another hoisted a huge helium-filled orange baby balloon with blond hair styled like Trump's.A few blocks from City Hall, protesters gathered in front of the downtown federal detention center being guarded by a line of Marines and other law enforcement. It was the first time that the Marines, in combat gear and holding rifles, have appeared at a demonstration since they were deployed to city on Friday with the stated mission of defending federal property.Peter Varadi, 54, said he voted for Trump last November for “economic reasons.” Now, for the first time in his life, he is protesting, waving a Mexican and U.S. combined flag.“I voted for Donald Trump, and now I regret that, because he’s taken this fascism to a new level,” Varadi said. “It’s Latinos now. Who’s next? It’s gays. Blacks after that. They’re coming for everybody.”Even after the formal event ended, the downtown streets were packed with a jubilant crowd as people danced to salsa music and snacked on hot dogs and ice cream bought from vendors, many of whom are Latino immigrants. But the previously calm demonstration turned confrontational as police on horseback moved into the crowd and struck some people with wood rods and batons as they cleared the street in front of the federal building.<h2>New York City</h2>Marchers in the crowd that stretched for blocks along Fifth Avenue had diverse reasons for coming, including anger over Trump’s immigration policies, support for the Palestinian people and outrage over what they said was an erosion of free speech rights.But there were patriotic symbols, too. Leah Griswold, 32, and Amber Laree, 59, who marched in suffragette white dresses, brought 250 American flags to hand out to people in the crowd.“Our mothers who came out, fought for our rights, and now we're fighting for future generations as well,” Griswold said.Some protesters held signs denouncing Trump while others banged drums.“We’re here because we’re worried about the existential crisis of this country and the planet and our species,” said Sean Kryston, 28.<h2>Minnesota</h2>Gov. Tim Walz and law enforcement encouraged people not to attend rallies “out of an abundance of caution” following the shootings of the Democratic state lawmakers.Dozen of events were canceled, but tens of thousands still turned out for demonstrations in Duluth, Rochester and St. Paul, which included a march to the state Capitol. Walz canceled his scheduled appearance at the St. Paul event.Authorities said the suspect had “No Kings” flyers in his car and writings mentioning the names of the victims as well as other lawmakers and officials, though they could not say if he had any other specific targets.Seda Heng, 29, of Rochester, said she was heartbroken by the shootings, but still wanted to join the rally there. “These people are trying to do what they can for their communities, for the state, for the nation,” Heng told the Minnesota Star-Tribune.<h2>North Carolina</h2>Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park before marching, chanting “No kings. No crowns. We will not bow down."Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping along the way.Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to “speak for what’s right” after mass deportations and Trump's deployment of the National Guard in Los Angeles.“If we don’t stop it now, it’s just going to keep getting worse,” she said.Naomi Mena said she traveled an hour to demonstrate in Charlotte to represent her “friends and family who sadly can’t have a voice out in public now” to stay safe.<h2>Texas</h2>A rally at the Texas Capitol in Austin went off as planned despite state police briefly shutting down the building and the surrounding grounds after authorities said they received a “credible threat” to Democratic state lawmakers who were to attend.Dozens of state troopers swarmed through the grounds about four hours before the event, but the area was later opened and the rally started on time. The building remained closed.The Department of Public Safety later said one person was taken into custody “in connection with the threats made against state lawmakers" after a traffic stop in La Grange, Texas, about 65 miles (105 kilometers) east of Austin. State police did not detail the threat or immediately identify the person, but said there was no additional active threat.<h2>Mississippi</h2>A demonstration of hundreds of people opened to “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath playing over a sound system on the state Capitol lawn in Jackson.“A lot of stuff that’s going on now is targeting people of color, and to see so many folks out here that aren’t black or brown fighting for the same causes that I’m here for, it makes me very emotional,” said Tony Cropper, who traveled from Tennessee to attend the protest.Some people wore tinfoil crowns atop their heads. Others held signs inviting motorists to “Honk if you never text war plans.”Melissa Johnson said she drove an hour-and-a-half to Jackson to protest because “we are losing the thread of democracy in our country."___