Capitol security: Threats to MN officials increase in 2025

There have been threats so far this year to Minnesota functionaries State Patrol Lt Colonel Jeremy Geiger disclosed during a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Capitol Area Measure earlier this week The meeting Monday was the third since the assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark as well as the attempted assassination of Sen John Hoffman his wife Yvette and their daughter Hope on June Geiger reported the Capitol received threats in and that in the State Patrol has already received threats of which have resulted in criminal charges In response he explained the State Patrol is appointing one of their officers in December to work with the BCA to investigate those threats We re not going to stop we re not going to kind of throw up our hands at certain point and say Well we re done Now we can just move on he declared This has been and will be a constant commitment to not only the people in this room but the community who come and visit everybody who comes on to this complex Two of those threats made headlines following the lawmaker shootings in June On June a man was arrested and charged with allegedly threatening violence at the Capitol On July another man broke into the Capitol on several occasions and was revealed naked in the Senate Chamber Also Monday the committee discussed other states open carry policies heard from a firm that is working on a third-party review of the Capitol s protection and discussed whether lawmakers should be practicing current shooter drills in their chambers This is something where we all should be prepared And you know know that this is never anything that we want to have to face but we need to be ready explained Lt Gov Peggy Flanagan chair of the committee And unfortunately there are second and third graders who are familiar with how to conduct themselves in an matter like this We also need to be ready The State Patrol has hired new Capitol guard officers who will start training in November Geiger commented Other precaution changes include updated cameras and protection kiosks The advisory committee is expected to meet again in about a month Flanagan explained Monday The committee is expected to send recommendations to the Legislature for any safety updates to the Capitol to potentially be passed in the session Related Articles Gov Tim Walz Gabby Giffords to hold gun control town hall in Waconia Gun owners group says it ll sue if St Paul moves forward with firearms ordinance Fighting fraud core issue for GOP gubernatorial candidate Kristin Robbins Melvin Carter Jacob Frey call for local gun ordinances including ability to ban assault weapons in city limits MN to launch paid family diagnostic leave operation Jan How will it work