One Minnesota lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed early Saturday in what officials are calling “targeted political violence.”
A second lawmaker and his spouse were also injured in a separate shooting.
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Governor Tim Walz identified the victims as State Rep. Melissa Hortman of Brooklyn Park and her husband, Mark. State Sen. John Hoffman of Champlin and his wife, Yvette, were also shot but survived. Their conditions were not immediately released.
According to the No Kings website, the planned event in Northeast Minneapolis was canceled due to a shelter-in-place order following the politically motivated shootings of two elected officials. Organizers said they are closely monitoring the situation and urged everyone in the area to follow local safety guidelines.
Authorities say the attacks happened at the victims’ homes in eastern Minnesota, about eight miles apart. The suspect remains on the run.
Both lawmakers were members of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party.
Investigators believe the suspect may have been impersonating a law enforcement officer when they targeted the lawmakers’ homes. Authorities say they located the suspect’s vehicle nearby and discovered a manifesto inside listing additional names of lawmakers and officials.
“We have people of interest that we are looking for,” officials said during a Saturday news conference.
In a post on X, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar called the shootings “a stunning act of violence” and said her thoughts are with the Hortman and Hoffman families.
The Brooklyn Park Police Department issued a shelter-in-place alert Saturday morning for an area surrounding Edinburgh Golf Course as the manhunt continued, according to NBC affiliate KARE 11.
Condolences are pouring in on Rep. Hortman’s social media pages as friends, colleagues, and community members react to the news.
Governor Walz also shared on social media that he was being regularly briefed as law enforcement worked to locate the suspect.
Breaking news reporter Mirna Alsharif contributed to this report.