Minnesota Lawmaker Melissa Hortman and husband killed in political shooting; Sen. Hoffman injured
Ex-House Speaker Hortman was killed in her home; Sen. Hoffman and his wife remain hospitalized after attack in Minnesota.
Saturday morning in the Brooklyn Park residence of former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, was a tragic one when they were both shot and killed. Authorities suspect a perpetrator posing as a police officer fired upon them.
In a similarly related incident, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were both seriously injured by gunfire following the attack in their Champlin home. They are undergoing recovery following surgery according to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
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A state shaken by political violence
Governor Walz expressed at a heartfelt press conference about the coordinated attacks as a “politically motivated assassination." He expressed his sadness over Hortman's death both as a public and personal loss, believed Hortman was a dedicated leader, and did so with compassion while blurring lines in Minnesota's political landscape for multiple decades.
“She was irreplaceable, ” Walz said. “Everybody knows Melissa woke up every day with the mission of bettering the lives of Minnesotans. There was no other Melissa Hortman. No one can replicate who she was as a leader, or as a human.” The Governor also said he was "confidently optimistic" about Senator Hofmann and his wife's recovery.
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Lawmakers react and security tightens
In the hours after the shootings, Minnesota officials put all state legislators in protective custody. The state's Department of Public Safety worked with local authorities for the safety of citizens across the state. Obviously, all this is a reflection of increased angst about politically motivated violence.
House Republicans and Democrats alike mourned and were outraged in a joint statement declaring the attack "an assault on our democratic ideals." Lawmakers went on to urge Minnesotans to "support the affected families, and explore all available avenues to be vigilant". At the same time, security protocols for public officials throughout the state will also be reviewed.
