Photo by cottonbro studio
A Minnesota state legislator and her husband were fatally shot in their home early Saturday morning in what Governor Tim Walz has described as an “act of targeted political violence.”
Governor Walz confirmed that House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were killed in the incident.
In a separate but related attack, State Senator John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife were also targeted in their residence. According to Walz, both were shot multiple times but have undergone surgery and are recovering.
The governor stated that the attacks took place in Brooklyn Park and Champlin, two neighboring cities located just outside Minneapolis. A suspect is still at large, and a large-scale manhunt is currently underway.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Ruley said during a press briefing that the suspect was impersonating a law enforcement officer. He explained that the individual had been wearing a police-style uniform and badge, and had been driving a vehicle resembling a police car, complete with emergency lights, which enabled him to gain access to the lawmakers’ homes.
Zach Lindstrom, the mayor of nearby Mounds View, reported that local elected officials had received a “safety alert” amid the ongoing threat.
Authorities are urging area residents not to open their doors to anyone claiming to be a police officer unless there are at least two officers present. This warning was also reported by local news outlet Fox 9.
Mayor Lindstrom posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had received information indicating that the suspect was posing as a police officer and had not yet been apprehended.
The Brooklyn Park Police Department has issued a shelter-in-place directive for a three-mile (4.8 km) radius surrounding the Edinburgh Golf Course in response to the suspect being at large.
Governor Walz stated on X that state authorities are “monitoring the situation closely” and have activated the State Emergency Operations Center, a facility typically used during significant disasters or emergencies, to coordinate the ongoing response.
