Assassination of Steven Hong

Steven Hong, the 22nd Prime Minister of Sierra, was shot and fatally wounded by Dylan Coulter at 4:38 pm (11:38 ), on Friday, August 12, 2016, in the Old Sycamore Courthouse, Juno, Plumas. The Prime Minister died en route to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:54 pm by emergency care workers. Coulter has been apprehended by police, and captured on the scene, and is currently undergoing interrogation and criminal processing. According to a 38-page manifesto, Coulter's motivation for the attack was his apparent disapproval of the Democratic-Republican Party's "complicit monarchism" and for the progressive policies that the party establishment supported, most particularly, its "multicultural platform".

Immediately after Hong's declared death, his deputy, Preston Bolivar, assumed the Prime Ministry in an acting capacity accordingly to the Sierran line of succession as described by the Constitution. Bolivar declared a state of emergency and as Hong's running mate, suspended Hong's campaign, leaving the Democratic-Republicans without a nominee currently.

The assassination has elicited sharp reactions and responses within the Kingdom and in the international community. Queen Angelina II made a rare television appearance, delivering a speech urging resolve and strength in light of the calamity, and vowed to hold all those accountable to justice. Likewise, Parliament authorized Bolivar's call for a state of emergency, and activated an open investigation in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice and Sierran intelligence agencies. In response to the assassination, the Conference of American States summoned a special session regarding the political crisis and to coordinate an investigation on the death of the Prime Minister. The assassination also provoked long-term debates on, republicanism, and race relations, as well as its dire impact on the upcoming prime ministerial election in October which Hong was running for.

Background
Steven Hong was Sierra's 22nd prime minister, and was initially elected into office in 2008. A Democratic-Republican, Hong promoted centrist policies as prime minister, and was a staunch ally of the monarchy. The party was originally founded in 1858 in response to the formation of the Sierran monarchy by republicans who opposed its existence, and advocated for its immediate abolition. Republicanism and the party was especially prevalent in the Styxie, and was a leading factor in the outbreak of the Sierran Civil War in the 1870s. Although the war neutralized overt republicanism within the party, it was not until the 1902 election did the Democratic-Republican National Convention officially dropped republicanism from its platform. Cultural republicanism has continued to be an influential force in Styxer politics and society, although explicitly political republicanism is uncommon, and typically associated with terrorism and white nationalism.

The assailant, Dylan Coulter, a 27-year old man from Appleton, Shasta, was a self-identified "positive" republican and was angry at the Democratic-Republican Party for its support of the monarchy, and abandonment of the party's original republicanism. Coulter was also a member of the Imperial Knights of Sierra, a white supremacist group, and he frequently visited white nationalist and Neo-Nazi websites. He wrote a 38-page paper detailing his personal ideology and had chosen Hong as his prime target since at least June 2015. He was inspired to attack in response to Hong's support for the ascension of Queen Angelina II after her father's abdication.

Prime ministerial campaign tour
Steven Hong was selected as the Democratic-Republican nominee at the Democratic-Republican National Convention on June 9, 2016, defeating contender Terry Scott by 223 delegates. As the nominee, Hong refined his focus against Royalist challenger Daniel McComb and Libertarian challenger Ryan Porter. Hoping to keep control over the Styxie, which had turned from a once solidly Democratic-Republican base to a battleground region, Hong devoted most of his time securing votes in the region, and hopes toward uniting a "divided party" against the right.

Hong toured the Bernheim-Oakalona-Plainsfield metropolitan area in August after the convention, and then spent time in Santa Clara before moving into Plumas. Juno was part of Hong's itinerary where the town would host a party leadership retreat there as a post-convention meeting to reinforce images of party solidarity and dedication to defeat McComb and Porter.

International

 * Flag of Rainier.png Rainier - Rainian president Diane Hall cancelled an upcoming state visit to Sierra in light of the assassination, expressing shock at the "murder of the elected representative of the Sierran people". Prime Minister Hywel Price stated that the Rainian government stands in solidarity with the Sierran one, whilst former President Hannah Kwong in a tweet said that the murder of Hong was a show of terrorism, and that she was saddened by the death of a personal friend.
 * Warren_Flag.png United Commonwealth - Secretariat Baron Avery was air lifted out of to Louisville in response to the attack. Avery expressed sympathy towards the people of Sierra, while also condemning the radical elements of republicanism in the country, stating "...in Sierra, the peaceful ideology of republicanism has been hijacked by a radical element and should not showcase what is true to our beliefs." The United Commonwealth Department of State has issued warnings to Appalachian's entering Brazoria and Sierra on grounds of the historic animosity between the states- fearing that United Commonwealth citizens could be targeted for retaliation. Clay Caomhánach, a former student of the  and former Secretariat, expressed that Steven Hong was a champion of LGBT rights and that the tragedy will "...ripple through the hearts of Sierrans and of those who were lucky enough to enjoy the country's welcome."

Non-state

 * Flag of the Islamic State.svg.png - ISIS published a statement that "applauded" the death of an "imperialist infidel" that represented the "decadence of the west" and pointed to the event as being a sign of western contradictions imploding upon themselves in preparation for the rise of the global Caliphate.