A Republican candidate for Minnesota House is recovering today after a possible politically motivated attack.
Per the Star Tribune:
Shane Mekeland is running for the House in District 15B, an open seat that includes parts of Benton and Sherburne County. He said that last Friday night, he was “blindsided” by an assailant as he spoke to patrons at a bar and restaurant he wouldn’t identify.
Benton County Sheriff Troy Heck confirmed Monday that his office is investigating the alleged assault, which Mekeland reported took place between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Friday. Heck said his office interviewed the suspect, whose identity is not being released because he has not been arrested or charged with a crime.
In an e-mail, Heck wrote that he expected the investigation to continue another seven to 10 days before referring to the Benton County Attorney’s Office for review.
Mekeland went public with the incident on his campaign’s Facebook page Sunday. In an interview Monday, he said he waited until Saturday to seek treatment and to call the Benton County Sheriff’s Office after noticing some lingering side effects.
Mekeland described his assailant as a “much, much bigger” man, whose comments suggested a political motivation.
The accused’s statement reportedly echoed the liberal talking point about politicians not caring about the middle class.
Authorities told Mekeland that the suspected admitted to an unprovoked attacked and said they were reviewing medical reports and surveillance footage.
AAN Staff
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