Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were wounded in politically motivated shootings overnight, Gov. Tim Walz said Saturday.
Hortman and her husband were shot in Brooklyn Park, while Hoffman and his wife were shot in Champlin.
At a Saturday morning press conference, Walz called the deaths of Hortman and her husband “a political assassination.”
Hortman represented Minnesota House District 34B, and Hoffman Minnesota Senate District 34. Both were members of the Democratic Party.
“Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service,” Walz said. “She was a formidable public servant. A fixture and a giant in Minnesota.”
Walz said Hoffman and his wife were each shot multiple times.
“We are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt,” Walz said.
Shelter in place order in effect for Brooklyn Park amid manhunt
Authorities say a shelter in place alert is in effect Saturday in a three-mile radius around Brooklyn Park’s Edinburgh Golf Course as law enforcement search for the suspect.
He is described as a White man with brown hair who’s believed to be wearing a blue shirt and blue pants with a black tactical vest. They say he is misrepresenting himself as law enforcement.
Residents are advised that if police show up at your door, they will be officers in pairs, not alone. Do not answer the door unless there are two officers there. If there is just one officer, call 911 immediately. Authorities will know if any officers were sent to your residence.
Minnesota Legislature 
Details of law enforcement encounter with suspect
Authorities say Champlin police first responded to Hoffman’s home, with Brooklyn Park police assisting. A Brooklyn Park police sergeant is said to have proactively decided to check on lawmakers in their city.
When officers arrived at Hortman’s home at about 3:30 a.m., authorities say they saw what appeared to be a police SUV with emergency lights on. The suspect then exited Hortman’s home and exchanged gunfire with officers before fleeing on foot.
Walz denounces political violence
Walz highlighted how these acts of violence occurred following a special session where both sides compromised for the good of Minnesota.
“We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint,” Walz said. “In the state of Minnesota, and as recently as last week, in the most closely divided state legislature in the country, we sat down, shook hands and compromised, and we served the state of Minnesota together. It’s possible in politically charged times to find compromise, democracy and civil discourse. I, Minnesota and across the country, stand against all forms of political violence.”
Legislators were alerted this morning and those in the metro area were told to take extra safety precautions. The executive director of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, in a Facebook post, said that “an evil coward dressed as a protector, went to the homes of two Minnesota elected officials and shot them.”
Minnesota police agencies and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension are currently leading the investigation, officials report.
CBS News has also reached out to the FBI and other agencies for comment.
Hortman represented Minnesota House District 34B, and Hoffman Minnesota Senate District 34.
Organizers for the planned “No Kings” protest in Northeast Minneapolis said the event would be canceled due to the shootings and shelter-in-place.
“Our thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the communities impacted by this violence,” organizers said. “Some events in other parts of the greater Minneapolis area are still moving forward at this time, and we are actively monitoring the situation.”
This story will be updated.
Anna Schecter and
contributed to this report.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
