The shooting of parliamentary members in Minnesota is a disturbing trend: Analysis

The shooting of two members of the Minnesota State Parliament has sent a wave of surprises to all countries. This gloomy development marks a disturbing improvement: Although violence is not new, this new migration to the state and local level is a concern trend.

Violence against public officials has increased in recent years, including two new murder efforts in 2024 against President Donald Trump. 2011 murder efforts in Rep. Gabby Giffords, who was originally considered an anomaly at the time, now seems to have been a predecessor for a wave of threats to the scope of the developed elected officials.

This trend was then highlighted in 2017 when the practice of Baseball Congress in Alexandria, Virginia, was targeted by an individual who was motivated by political complaints. Five people were injured, including the whip of the majority of Steve Scalise, when the armed man released rain as high as 70 rounds.

In many cases, the investigation consistently revealed that the suspects harbored real complaints or felt against their politicians or political beliefs, and then acted on the complaints.

A 2015 Study By the US Secret Service, examining attacks on the federal government, explained the perpetrators. It was found that violators chose their targets for reasons including retaliation, continuation of ideological beliefs, personal gain, or seeking fame and attention. Nearly half of these violators show evidence of fixation – intense or obsessive preoccupations with individuals, activities, or ideas. More than half have previous arrests or criminal accusations, and more than half have a history of violence against others.

In addition, this research found that almost half communicated their intentions to others about targets or directly with their targets. One third of the violators made a hidden threat or reference about the dangers through online posts, verbal comments, personal manifesto, letters, and other ways. Only three violators communicate threats verbally and directly to their targets.

Homeland Department of Domestic Security 2025 (DHS) Threat assessment Underline this concern, which states that “the 2024 election cycle will be an interesting target for many enemies.”

“Some extremists in domestic violence (DV) are likely to see various targets indirectly and directly related to the election as a decent target for violence with the intention of instilling fear among voters, candidates and election workers, as well as disrupting the election process that leads to and after the November election,” Assessment added.

So, why is this targeted violence increased?

Chapman University June 2024 Study Suggest “The decline in the level of trust in some of our most important social institutions and political divisions that develop throughout the community” as possible causes. This study recorded an increase in a stable threat to public officials since 2017, to coincide with a general improvement in polarization after the 2016 presidential election. Further stated that “more threats can represent tolerance that develops against violence among Americans and the formation of ‘cultures that help normalize their use to express certain ideas and emotions.'”

This study identified what he said was a significant obstacle to effective responses, including blurred lines between protected speeches and the threat of criminal and anonymity facilitated by digital technology.

As shown by this research, the digital era, with access to “dark web,” hard online content, and convenience with that individuals can identify public officials, their homes, and their activities, have created targeting opportunities that have never happened before. This helps explain observed improvement In violence at all levels of government, including state and local officials, a trend that unfortunately seems to continue.

For those who are in public spaces, prioritize personal protection and apply basic security steps are very important. This includes an alarm system at home, a security camera to identify visitors, and control who is in contact with them. Despite being a public official and ensuring safety can be a conflicting and difficult goal in this climate, these basic steps can significantly increase their security.

Donald J. Mihalek is a contributor to ABC News, a retired senior secret service agent and a regional field training instructor who has served for two presidential transitions. He is also a police officer and served at the US coast guard.

Richard Frankel is an ABC news contributor and a retired FBI special agent who is a special agent responsible for the Newark FBI division and before that, the Terrorism Task Force with New York FBI.

The opinion expressed in this story is not the opinion of ABC News.