Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed in a shooting at her home near Minneapolis early Saturday, officials said.
Abbie Parr/AP
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Abbie Parr/AP
A Minnesota state representative and her husband were killed and a state senator and his wife were wounded in what officials said were separate, targeted shootings early Saturday at their homes near Minneapolis.
A suspect impersonating a police officer remains at large, according to authorities.
Democratic state Rep. Melissa Hortman, a former state House speaker, and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park, Minn., “in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said at a news conference, calling it “an unspeakable tragedy.”
Follow MPR News coverage of the shootings
Earlier, in a separate incident just miles away in Champlin, Minn., Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot and wounded at their home.
State police said there was a list of people found in the suspect’s car, and the individuals that were targeted in the situation were on that list.
Speaking to Minnesota Public Radio, Minnesota Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith said she was told her name is on the list. Smith said she did not know who the others are on the list.
Smith said she is in Minnesota and was with Hortman and Hoffman at a Democratic dinner hours before the shooting.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said she was closely monitoring the situation in Minnesota and that FBI was investigating on the ground with state and local law enforcement. She said the incident “appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers.”
“This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” she said on X.
Separately, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino said in a statement on X, “The FBI is fully engaged on the ground in Minnesota and is working in collaboration with our local and state partners.”
This is a breaking news story. Some things reported by the media may later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene. We will update as the situation develops.
