Zachary Stiebe (EPOCH TIMES)
Two campaign aides for Lacy Johnson, a Republican seeking to unseat Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), were shot in Minneapolis in broad daylight this week, including a 17-year-old boy.
The teenager was rushed to the hospital, where he died a short time later from his wounds, a Minneapolis police spokesman said.
Officials haven’t officially identified the deceased but his family and school named him as Andre Conley.
“My nephew Andre did not deserve this,” Conley’s aunt, Fatemah Green, said at a vigil for the boy on Wednesday night, KARE 11 reported.
Johnson said his campaign was in contact with the parents of the victims.
Johnson said his campaign was in contact with the parents of the victims.
“We are reaching out to provide or help secure resources to meet their needs in such a time of grief, sorrow, and trauma,” he said in a statement.
“We have also been in discussions with members of the community who have detailed knowledge of the sources of the sometimes violence in our community. We’ve been in contact with local/national officials to both sort out the situation and discuss short and long-term solutions.”
His campaign said both victims of the “senseless violence” were paid campaign members.
“Today we are shocked and saddened to learn of this senseless act of violence. It is shocking and unnecessary acts of violence like this that prove why change is more needed than ever in our community. The shootings did not occur during a campaign event or outreach and we do not believe it has any connection to their work for the campaign,” it said.
Johnson told the local broadcaster that both youth “came to me and told me that they want to do positive things with their lives.”
Patrick Henry High School told members of the school community that Andre, a senior, was killed this week.
Over $4,900 has been raised for Andre’s family through a GoFundMe fundraiser. The organizer of the campaign said Andre “had more ambition than I did at 17” and “was loved by his peers, teachers, and principal.”
Police said the other victim, an adult male in his late teens, was taken for treatment for non-life-threatening wounds.
A preliminary investigation found that people were standing in front of a business when a person, or persons, approached on foot and shot at the group.
The suspect fled the scene prior to the arrival of officers.
Omar has not commented on the shootings.
The suspect was taken into custody on Thursday, a police spokesman confirmed to The Epoch Times. The suspect’s name is being withheld at this time under state law.
