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Search For Shooter Underway After MN State Lawmakers Killed, Another Shot In "Politically Motivated" Attack. "No Kings" Protests Underway In Several Cities, Hundreds More Due To Begin Soon; Search For Shooter Underway After MN State Lawmaker Killed, Another Shot In "Politically Motivated" Attack; New Round Of Israeli Strikes Target Several Iranian Provinces. Aired 12-1p ET

Aired June 14, 2025 - 12:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

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[12:00:06]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Hello again, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me this Saturday. I'm Fredricka Whitfield. We're following breaking news. Two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot overnight at their homes in what officials are calling a politically motivated attack.

One of the lawmakers, State Representative Melissa Hortman, was killed, and so was her husband. Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former Minnesota House speaker. State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in their homes -- in their home. They are in the hospital after undergoing surgery. Officials say they are optimistic that they will survive.

Meanwhile, a massive manhunt is underway for the suspect, who authorities say targeted the victims at their homes impersonating a police officer.

Joining us right now is CNN's Veronica Miracle and CNN Senior National Security Analyst Juliette Kayyem. Let's begin with you, Veronica, on all the details that we're learning.

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, all of this started to unfold around 2:00 in the morning overnight when police say that they got a call about a shooting at a residence at Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman's home. They entered and they found both his wife and State Senator Hoffman were shot and injured. Both of them, as you mentioned, went into surgery and they are expected to survive.

As this investigation was unfolding, deputies at the scene decided to preemptively send officers over about 5 miles away to the house of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman. It's when officers arrived at that home that they discovered the suspect, who was dressed and impersonating a police officer, had a big SUV with lights. And when they encountered the suspect, they engaged in a shootout. That suspect eventually went inside the home and was able to escape. When officers were able to get inside that residence, that's when they found State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband had been killed. As I mentioned, that individual was impersonating a police officer, and officers at the press conference today said that if that suspect was in the room with them at that moment, people wouldn't have been able to distinguish between the impersonating officer, that suspect, and real officers.

So certainly sending fear throughout the community. As you said, a massive manhunt underway. And what the officers at the scene discovered inside the car of the suspect is also startling. Take a listen.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

CHIEF MARK BRULEY, BROOKLYN PARK, MN POLICE DEPARTMENT: We did a search of the vehicle. There wasn't a manifesto that identified many lawmakers and other officials. We immediately made alerts to the state who took action on alerting them and providing security where necessary.

(END VIDEOCLIP)

MIRACLE: And it's because of this discovery is why police officers believe this was politically motivated. Now, the Brooklyn Park community is under lockdown currently. And also they are asking -- police officers are telling people not to open the door to a single officer.

The officers who are real, they're going to be traveling in pairs to make sure that everybody is OK. But as you can imagine, of course, that entire community on edge as they search for the suspect right now. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Indeed. All right, Veronica, thank you so much.

Let's bring back CNN Senior National Security Analyst, Juliette Kayyem. And Juliette, you know, obviously this, not only this shooting not only invokes fear, but now a level of apprehension. And that's underscored by the police chief of the Brooklyn Park area saying, people, if a police officer knocks on the door, if it's one officer, call 911. If it's in pairs, you can more likely trust them.

Talk to me about how this also complicates their investigation and gathering of evidence. When now you've got this distrust that has been injected into the situation because of the way in which the suspect behaved and identified himself.

[12:05:10]

JULIETTE KAYYEM, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL SECURITY ANALYST: Right. I mean, that's exactly right. So you saw the police chief try to reinsert trust into the process because obviously now everyone is going to be skeptical of a police officer. And as we were discussing in the last hours, not simply impersonating and badge, but at one stage was utilizing a car that was make and model were similar to police cars and had clearly sort of souped it up in terms of sirens to approach the houses as if it was an authoritative -- an authorized visit.

So the rule of two is essentially just what the police officers are promising the community, which is if anyone is approaching you and it's an individual, you have to assume that that individual is not representing valid law enforcement and you don't answer the door, you call 911.

And so that's -- but just think about that. Now you've got to double your having your capacity to be out there because you now have to have every police officer in too. But it's important -- the shelter in place is really important. You just don't want to put into the mix other variables.

A normal car accident on a Saturday morning might have all sorts of consequences or fears because of what's going on in the community. So basically, the shelter in place is to keep the sort of the normalcy of what happens and the demands on public safety on a Saturday sort of off the street for now. So people need to abide by that.

I'm -- I would suspect in the next couple hours we'll begin to learn at least in terms of a loosening of that of those orders. I want to say I'm very curious who's on the list because that's going to get you to motive. We now have two Democrats. And this is just description. It's not commentary.

You have two senior Democrats within the Minnesota legislator attacked by someone premeditated 2:00 and 3:30 in the morning. Both spouses harmed and who clearly wanted to do more harm. But four, the sort of forward leaning of the police sort of worried about other legislators.

Who's on that list? What's your party affiliation? How are they protected right now? Were they on certain committees? Were they tied to a constituency or constituency group that was mad at them? And what is the motivation of this person. And because a manifesto one has to assume he's been thinking about this a long time and probably left clues.

WHITFIELD: And then Juliette, you know, if you are a resident or a lawmaker whomever --

KAYYEM: Yes.

WHITFIELD: -- on that manifesto that we now know police did reveal they collected that manifesto, you know, from this suspect. Have they likely been given additional security or --

KAYYEM: Yes.

WHITFIELD: -- been asked to leave their place of residence where, you know, just in case especially this suspect was working with others.

KAYYEM: Right. So we don't know if this is an individual who -- or this individual is tied to a group that has a political animus against them. That is why our discussion about democracy and violence is important to restate today. OK, things that that would be normal course although of course the police and the state police and the governor are not going to say the details. Every single person on that manifesto has gotten a security detail. That's what the state police do.

It may be that the governor is seeking additional resources from other localities to protect them. Those individuals just because I know how these details work will be allowed to choose whether they want to stay at home. And the detail will follow them.

I would not blame any person especially because spouses were targeted. We don't know if there were children in the home. That's, you know, why -- and where the children -- if there are children and where they are, absolutely terrifying for any public servant.

WHITFIELD: Yes.

KAYYEM: And the consequences of this I have to say as we learn more is, you know, we talk about new generations and people entering public service, people of good faith and good will who may have disagreements. And this is terrifying to all people who presently hold a position but also people who would think about holding a position.

WHITFIELD: Yes. Indeed. Juliette, thank you so much. Don't go far.

I want to bring in now CNN Chief Law Enforcement and Intelligence Analyst John Miller. John, what are you thinking right now? What have you learned as well from some of your colleagues?

JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: Well the idea of this attack being done in the early morning hours the time that we identify as really the lowest ebb in terms of people's awareness, alertness showing up in the Ford Explorer which is the same make model and type of vehicle that most of the police departments use there for patrol. Having this vehicle equipped with a light package similar to the police and to be able to be dressed in a tactical vest to bang on the door to wake people up as the police.

[12:10:30]

And remember you're coming to the door at 3:00 in the morning bleary eyed to what appears to be a police officer in a police car. Now for elected officials as crazy as it may sound, this is not way out of the realm of possibility. We live in brittle political times.

We have gone through as a nation this whole habit of swatting where a police officer will come to the door after somebody makes a complicated 911 call saying that you're being held hostage and say, listen, we're just here to check this out. We think it's, you know, probably not a real call.

So they may have been not too terribly surprised to open to the door to law enforcement at this odd hour given the pattern of these things that happened not knowing that it was literally the opposite that it was someone who had engaged in a lot of planning, had multiple targets on that list. And but for -- as Veronica Miracle described it, this incredible proactive police work of getting to the next location saying we've got to cover the homes of elected officials in this area and running straight into the suspect, it is possible that he could have gone down that list of targets that were found in the car, other elected officials and government officials without being interrupted so early in the game as tragic as the results have been.

WHITFIELD: And I asked this earlier, you know, about the tools that investigators will use in this investigation. And it might be helpful that many homes in the area -- most homes almost everywhere these days are equipped with some sort of cameras recording devices. How will investigators go about trying to scour those images to see if they can hear or glean learn anything about the whereabouts of this suspect?

MILLER: Well there's a couple of things going on there. Number one, you know, they're going to look at every ring doorbell camera along whatever the route they believe this individual took. They're going to look at every traffic camera. They're going to look at any LPRs, license plate readers, at key intersections before you get into these neighborhoods.

And they're going to scour that to see if they can get the direction the individuals coming from. But we've got to break this down which is they have, as Juliette pointed out earlier, they have the vehicle he came in. He was surprised and had to flee leaving behind a lot of things that he didn't want to leave behind at this stage.

So everything in that car before you get to the video cameras, before you get to the LPRs, everything in that car is going to be the most urgent set of clues that are going to put them on to the likely identity of who they're looking for. But I said a couple of things. So let's turn that over.

They've got the car. They've got the rest of his weapons inside that car according to sources. They have the manifesto so they know what the motive is and they have the kill list so they know the other targets. So they've been able to move out to those places and protect them.

But guess who doesn't have that car. He doesn't.

WHITFIELD: Right.

MILLER: And he wasn't expecting --

WHITFIELD: Maybe.

MILLER: He wasn't expecting not to have it. So now you have to kind of if you've identified your suspect, figure out what is his immediate network there because there's two hazards. One he's going to flee to the home of a friend or a trusted colleague and say, I need to hide here. Or two, he's going to commit another home invasion and say, you know, I need to hide here.

So that is why the shelter in place. That is why this is so dangerous. He didn't get away in his getaway plane. He got away on foot and now he's improvising and he's deadly.

WHITFIELD: Yes. You have a more potentially volatile suspect.

All right, John Miller, thank you so much. We'll take a short break for now. We'll be right back with our continuing breaking news coverage of the shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers. One, State Representative Melissa Hortman is killed along with her husband, and state Senator John Hoffman along with his wife remain in the hospital. We'll be right back.

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[12:19:36]

WHITFIELD: All right, we continue to follow our breaking news. A manhunt is underway in Minnesota at this hour for a gunman who police say shot two state lawmakers and their spouses early this morning at their homes. Officials are calling the attacks politically motivated.

One of the lawmakers, State Representative Melissa Hortman, was killed and so was her husband. Hortman was the top House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a former Minnesota House speaker.

[12:20:03]

State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot. They are in the hospital after undergoing surgeries. Officials say they are optimistic that they will survive.

Police say the suspect targeted the victims at their homes, impersonating a police officer. He also reportedly left a manifesto, the suspect, that is, in his car, identifying many lawmakers and other officials. Security for those officials have been beefed up.

Let's go now back to the White House and Betsy Klein with more on the statement, the official response coming from the White House. Betsy?

BETSY KLEIN, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE PRODUCER: Well, Fredricka, the White House is monitoring all of this quite closely as it develops so quickly. The president himself personally weighing in a statement a short while ago. He says, quote, "I've been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers. Our Attorney General Pam Bondi and the FBI are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law."

President Trump goes on to say, "Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place."

Now, we also know that Attorney General Pamela Bondi says that she is closely monitoring these developments. And FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says that the FBI is, quote, "fully engaged." The Department of Homeland Security also monitoring the situation.

We've also learned that U.S. Capitol Police have been checking in with members of Congress who were on the shooter's alleged target list, according to one source, to let them know that they were part of that. Of course, there's also significant security being beefed up here and in Washington and back in Minnesota.

The president is here at the White House this weekend. He is celebrating the Army's 250th anniversary at a parade. A little bit later today, we have also seen Vice President JD Vance, Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and other top officials arriving here at the White House within the last few hours.

Of course, all of this comes at a moment when temperatures are very high. The president himself has attacked the state's governor, Tim Walz, in recent days. Twice this past week, most recently on Thursday, an event in the East Room called him a disaster. We are also expecting protests across the country today as a result of some of the president's policies, including his mass deportations.

What we know right now is that State Senator Melissa Hortman and her husband have been killed. We know that State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot and have undergone surgery. And a suspect is believed to be on foot and still at large, according to local officials.

Governor Tim Walz said this appears to be a politically motivated assassination. The suspect also was impersonating law enforcement officials. And people in the state of Minnesota in that area are told to call 911 if a single police officer approaches their house.

They are told that police and law enforcement will be operating in pairs until further notice. The White House, of course, keeping very close tabs on all of this. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: Yes. Very startling, frightening sequence of events.

Thank you so much, Betsy Klein. Appreciate it.

We'll continue to follow this breaking news out of Minnesota right after this.

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[12:27:55]

WHITFIELD: We're back following our breaking news story out of Minnesota, where a manhunt is underway for a shooter who targeted two Minnesota lawmakers. Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed early Saturday morning at their home. And Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were also targeted by the same gunman at their home. Both shot multiple times and are being treated at a hospital for injuries.

A No Kings event meantime in northern Minneapolis was canceled today due to this now shelter-in-place order after the overnight shootings. Governor Tim Walz is calling the attacks a politically motivated assassination.

Here's more of what he said earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEOCLIP)

GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: This was an act that targeted political violence. Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don't settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.

In the state of Minnesota, and as recently as last week, in the most closely divided state legislature in the country, we sat down, we worked things out, we debated, we shook hands and compromised, and we served the state of Minnesota together. We proved that it's possible, even in these politically charged times, to find compromise and adhere to the principles of democracy and civil discourse.

We must all, Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence. At this precipice moment we're on, this tragic act here in Minnesota should serve as a reminder to all of us that democracy and the debates in the halls of Congress, in state houses, in school boards, is a way to settle our differences peacefully and move society to a better place.

We're collaborating with all local, state, and federal agencies on a full investigation. We're committed to keeping Minnesotans informed as this situation continues. I assure you that those held -- those responsible for this will be held accountable. And each and every one of us are committed to making sure that a tragedy like this never repeats itself in Minnesota or across this country.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:30:23]

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN HOST: Investigators say the suspect was impersonating a police officer at the time of the shootings. We'll have more on that breaking news in a moment.

We're also following another major story in just a few hours. A massive U.S. military parade will get underway in the nation's capital. This evening President Trump's military parade is set to roll through the streets of Washington D.C. It's happening on the Army's 250th Anniversary which also happens to be Trump's 79th birthday.

The Army has been gearing up for the event for several days now and it's unfolding on the same day as protest organizers say some 2,000 nationwide demonstrations will be taking place in all 50 states. All happening in opposition of President Trump and his policies. They're being called No Kings Gatherings.

But again the one that was scheduled in the Minnesota area has been canceled due to the shelter in place as a result of the shootings of the two lawmakers there. In the nation's capital there we see our Julia Benbrook on the National Mall where people are gathering and things are about to be getting underway ahead of the parade. So what's happening right now?

JULIA BENBROOK, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes Fred, there's been a lot of talk about the parade that is happening later this evening but the plans for that really only became clear in these last several months when President Donald Trump started his second term. But the plans to celebrate and hold a festival for the 250th Anniversary of the Army those have been in the works for a couple of years now.

And I'm on the mall where that festival is taking place. We've got equipment, we have vendors and I'm going to bring in Scott Amerson who served in the Army for 31 years. Tell us Scott, you're here as a volunteer today, what are we looking at?

SCOTT AMERSON, RETIRED U.S. ARMY: We are looking at a 1970s version UH-1 Iroquois built by Bell Helicopters. It served in Vietnam and we spent years flying them -- flying them in the Heritage Foundation. I spent years flying these on active duty as well.

BENBROOK: And tell me a little bit about your service, 31 years.

AMERSON: So I started in the Army in 1989 so I worked there, started flying helicopters, went right into flight school. It was a great opportunity for me, high school to flight school basically and I started flying there. I flew for probably three, four years flying this and teaching at Fort Rucker in the flight school after the Panama Invasion and then I came back and started flying airplanes for the Army. I ended up flying jets for the Army for retiring so highly recommend the Army for anybody. It was awesome.

BENBROOK: Well, thank you so much for your time. I know you have a line here to get back to, we appreciate it.

AMERSON: You're next. You have to get in.

BENBROOK: There you go. And also on the National Mall this is a kid- friendly event. We've got concerts that are starting up. Earlier there was a fitness competition to highlight the teamwork that takes place in the Army. We're also going to see a cooking tutorial.

We're going to see an NFL skills and drills competition and then this is going to lead up we're going to see a recognition of Medal of Honor recipients as well as a ceremony at the end with a birthday cake because after all this is the 250th birthday for the Army.

As you mentioned earlier it's also Flag Day, it's also Trump's birthday. And about 6:00 p.m., that's when things are going to transfer to that parade which is going to travel from the Lincoln Memorial near the White House.

WHITFIELD: All right. Keep us posted. Julia Bedbrook there on the National Mall. Appreciate it.

All right also happening right now the so-called No Kings Day protest underway around the country. This is a scene outside Mar-a-Lago in Florida where protesters were met with what appears to be layers of law enforcement there.

We've got a team of correspondents covering the some 2,000 scheduled rallies sweeping across the country in all 50 states according to organizers. CNN's Leigh Waldman is in Philadelphia, CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Houston. Let's go to you first Leigh, what -- what's happening.

LEIGH WALDMAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: They're marching in Philadelphia they're shouting things like whose streets are streets saying no Queen -- no Kings, yes Queens. We have Todd here with us who calls Philly home. You were talking about how Philadelphia is a special place for this No Kings protest because this is where democracy started.

TODD BERNSTEIN, PROTESTER: Right. Exactly. The foundation of our Democratic Republic started here when Ben Franklin came out of the constitutional signing someone said, you know, what did you come up with and he said a republic if you can keep it. I think many of us for so long have taken those fundamental rights for granted and that is all changing.

[12:35:05]

We have the -- the erosion and assault on democracy that's why you see thousands and thousands of people of all backgrounds here and across the country and about 2,000 demonstrations and -- and this is what we have to do in the spirit not of King Trump but Martin Luther King of engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience.

WALDMAN: And Todd you have your daughters here he has two girls with him almost 10 and almost 8 now and you see they're holding a sign here encouraging people to defend democracy and vote. Todd quickly, why is it so important to you to have your young daughters here?

BERNSTEIN: Well we I think young kids have to from the earliest of age know the -- the fundamental tenets of what it means to be a citizen. It's in many ways the highest form of the highest office we can have and I -- I think voting is something again that -- that so many have struggled for in the civil rights movement and we're -- we're doing that again because we could lose that vote.

I think there are many people who question whether there will even be a November election given what's been going on with immigrants and -- and other efforts to -- to really undermine fundamental rights that we all take for granted.

WALDMAN: So many people here and passion to share their voices here. You can hear the shouting and the distance behind us as thousands of people are braving the rain as we make our way down to the Museum of Art here Fred.

WHITFIELD: All right. Leigh Waldman, we'll keep checking in with you throughout the day. Thank you so much.

Off to Houston now, that's where we find Ed Lavandera with a crowd of people whose marches already underway. Ed, tell us more.

ED LAVANDERA, CNN SENIOR NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning or good afternoon Fredricka. This rally here in Houston, the No Kings rally, started off as the news emerging from Minnesota was beginning to take hold. It took a while for I think that news to spread through here. But here the theme as it has been in other protests similar to this across the -- across the country, chance of we will not bend down to fascism very critical of what they view as the Trump administration's dictatorial tendencies that has been the theme.

And now after listening to speeches for more than an hour this crowd is now marching through the streets of downtown Houston and there are thousands of people out here. We don't have any estimates yet as terms of just how large this crowd is but it is significant as this March has been going through an extents for blocks and blocks through downtown Houston at -- at this point.

We spoke with one attendee here this afternoon who is an 89-year-old former government teacher in high school and he did -- this is what he told us.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ATKINSON, "NO KINGS" PROTESTER: Well, I've been opposed to fascism all my life and I was a high school government teacher and these people's kids would have failed my course the people who support Trump they don't understand anything about the -- the fact that we're all kings and not him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: And Fredricka this March now is a looping its way around downtown and it's impossible we don't even see the end of it we're pretty much several blocks of it has already passed us where we are here in downtown Houston and this continues for blocks and blocks we can't even see the end of it at -- at this point so one of the larger crowds that event organizers here tell us that they have seen turn out for one of these types of events and that their protests that they've held over the last few months but this is definitely much larger in scale than what they've seen in recent months. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right Ed Lavandera and Leigh Waldman in Philadelphia thanks to both of you. Appreciate that.

[12:38:52]

Much more on a breaking news of the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband along with a separate shooting of another lawmaker in Minnesota and his wife both are being hospitalized. We'll have much more after this.

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WHITFIELD: All right more of our breaking news out of Minnesota where a gunman shot and killed Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning. Officials said the same gunman also shot Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife multiple times at their home.

A No Kings event in northern Minneapolis was canceled today due to a shelter-in-place order now after that overnight shooting. Governor Tim Walz is calling the attacks a politically motivated assassination. Here's more of what he said earlier.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) WALZ: My good friend and colleague Speaker Melissa and her husband Mark were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination. Our state lost a great leader and I lost a dearest of friends. Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service.

She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and we've been missed by so many. Minnesota's thoughts and prayers are with her family, her loved ones, her children, and her parents.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

[12:45:09]

WHITFIELD: Let's turn now to CNN's Veronica Miracle with more on this investigation. Veronica, what more can you tell us?

VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Fredricka, the Minnesota State Patrol has released new evidence that has resulted in Governor Walz and other law enforcement officials asking people to not investigate gunmen and attend those No Kings rallies all across Minnesota.

They're asking people to not attend those events and that's because they found multiple flyers that said No Kings inside the car of the suspect. They're just a whole stack of white papers with No Kings written across those papers. They have released a photo, we're working on getting that to you now, and so because of that information, because of that evidence, they're asking people to not attend those events.

A no shelter in -- a shelter in place rather, order is still in place for the area where those shootings took place. The shootings took place within about five miles of each other at the homes of State Representative Melissa Hortman as well as State Senator John Hoffman. As we know, John Hoffman and his wife at the hospital expected to survive, but State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed.

And part of what is so troubling about this event is that the suspect was fully identifiable as a police officer, impersonating a police officer wearing gear that looked just like an officer, and so that is why law enforcement asking those people who are sheltering in place to not open the door if a single person who looks like a police officer comes knocking.

They're sending out their officers in pairs, in groups, trying to make sure that everyone is safe, but also recognizing the severity of this event. Fredricka?

WHITFIELD: All right, Veronica, thank you so much. We'll check back with you. Also joining us right now, CNN chief law enforcement and intelligence analyst, John Miller. John, glad you get, oh it looks like we've lost John Miller actually, so we'll just continue on then.

So again, we continue to keep a close watch on this breaking news. The shootings of two Minnesota lawmakers, one who was killed, Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband. They were killed after this suspect came to the home looking like a police officer, as well as visiting the home of State Senator John Hoffman. Hoffman and his wife were also killed, and now the manhunt continues for this suspect, who is believed to still be on foot. We'll have much more straight ahead.

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[12:52:24]

WHITFIELD: We've got breaking news. A new round of Israeli strikes is targeting Iranian provinces. That's according to Iran's state media. Daylight revealed the extent of the damage after Israel and Iran exchanged waves of deadly missile and drone attacks overnight.

Israel says it attacked 150 targets overnight as it targeted Iran's nuclear program. At least 78 people were killed in Iran while three people were killed when Iran fired missiles into Israel. At least one medical facility in Tel Aviv is now moving patients underground as they prepare for more possible strikes from Iran.

CNN international diplomatic editor Nic Robertson is in Tel Aviv. Nic, Israel claims it has gained aerial freedom over a space that stretches from western Iran to the capital of Tehran. What does that mean?

NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Well, in the words of the Prime Minister, it means that Israel is going to continue to go after its targets and its targets are Iran's nuclear facilities and its abilities to -- to fire ballistic and other missiles, drones into Israel.

So it seems that by creating this space, by it appears taking out Iran's aerial defense systems, Israel has sort of been planning this for a long time and we've been able to see it step by step. The first actions they've already explained that this was intelligence driven, intelligence that they've been generating for more than a year to know where these top nine nuclear scientists and physicists were in Iran, to know where the top military commanders were -- were all at the same time, all on the first night, hit them, hit other strategic targets.

Now they're making their -- their work, if you will, of -- of broadening out the target list, going after the other things, the missile storage, the missile sites, the nuclear facilities that are hard to penetrate. Now it's working on taking out the air defense systems. It means it will have a greater and freer hand. Israel said over Friday, over Friday night, they launched 200 raids.

Over Friday night into Saturday, they launched 150 raids. The raid they said that cleared the way here for these further operations involves 70 aircraft striking 40 different sites. So if you will, it does two things. It gives Israel greater freedom to go after the targets it wants on the ground. But at the same time, it pushes back the distance from Israel, where Iran can launch those ballistic missiles. And that means one very simple thing.

[12:55:06]

Although these missiles fly high, they fly fast. The further away they are launched from Israel, it gives Israel a great opportunity possibility to intercept them. So this is what Israel's strategy appears to be at the moment.

WHITFIELD: All right, Nic Robertson in Tel Aviv, thanks so much.

All right, coming up, we'll have the latest on the shootings in Minnesota that left two people dead, and two others, all lawmakers, injured. All right, now a manhunt is underway for the suspect.

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