Dog shot during Minnesota lawmaker's murder put down days after attack
Only days after a gunman shot and killed Minnesota state lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, the family's rescue dog Gilbert had to be euthanized.
Vance Boelter allegedly shot Gilbert, the family's golden retriever, during the attack at the Brooklyn Park home.
Fellow Minnesota House Rep. Erin Koegel commented on social media platform X that he was put down following the murder.
"Her children had to put down him after learning their parents had been murdered. Gilbert wasn't going to survive. Melissa loved that dog. She trained him as a service dog. He flunked out of school and she was so happy he failed so he could stay! She needed him in heaven with her," Koegel said.
Helping Paws, a local non-profit in Eden Prairie, Minn, took to Facebook after hearing of Rep. Hortman's death to share some kind words and a photo of Gilbert and Hortman together.
The group said they remembered Hortman for her kindness and compassion. They said she always strived to make the world a better place.
"This morning, we learned of the tragic and senseless death of former Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark," the post began.
"Melissa served her community in more ways than one. She was a Helping Paws Foster Home Trainer, a neighbor, and a friend. The Hortman family raised and trained Minnie, who is now a working service dog partnered with a Veteran. They also helped raise and train Gilbert, a service dog in training who was eventually career changed and became a cherished member of their family. At this time, we do not have confirmed information about Gilbert's condition," the nonprofit wrote Saturday, after Hortman's death.
Koegel told the Minnesota Star Tribune that the House sergeant-at-arms informed members that Gilbert had to be put down. Hortman's adult children released a statement Monday night, saying that one way to keep their parent's memory alive would be to: "Pet a dog. A golden retriever is ideal, but any will do."
Vance Boelter, 57, was hit with multiple federal charges after officials captured him Sunday in what police described as the "largest manhunt" in the state's history.
Police found him after the massive two-day manhunt in the woods near his home.
He is charged with two counts of stalking, two counts of murder and two counts of firearm-related crimes in federal court.
In addition to the federal charges, Boelter is facing second-degree murder charges filed in Hennepin County, where he is accused of killing former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, early Saturday morning at their Brooklyn Park home in Minneapolis, and of shooting State Sen. John Hoffman, also a Democrat, and his wife, Yvette, in their nearby Champlin home in a related attack.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wall Street Journal
26 minutes ago
- Wall Street Journal
Man Arrested for Antisemitic Threats Against GOP Lawmaker in Ohio
A man in Ohio was arrested for shouting antisemitic slurs and threats at U.S. Rep. Max Miller as he drove to work Thursday morning, authorities said. The congressman, who is Jewish, tweeted that the other person ran him off the road and showed him a Palestinian flag.
CBS News
27 minutes ago
- CBS News
Woman gives birth on Route 53 off ramp in Palatine, fire officials say
A woman gave birth by the side of the road in Palatine Friday afternoon. Illinois State Police said troopers responded to a call for a medical incident involving a mother giving birth on the ramp from Illinois Route 53 south to Palatine Road shortly before 12:30 p.m. Palatine fire officials said paramedics and firefighters responded to the same call, and found out on their way there that the woman had given birth. When paramedics arrived, fire officials said they found the baby crying and healthy, with no obvious complications. The EMTs clamped and cut the cord, then took the woman and baby into an ambulance where they comforted and cared for them before taking them to Northwest Community Hospital for further treatment and evaluation. Fire officials said the woman was being driven to the hospital for some other complaints when she began delivering her baby. Illinois State Police said both mom and baby are doing well. They have not been identified. The ramp was closed for a time as paramedics and police responded, but has subsequently reopened.
Associated Press
32 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Husband of Colorado woman whose remains were found after 3-year search re-arrested on murder charge
DENVER (AP) — The husband of a Colorado woman, Suzanne Morphew, whose remains were discovered over three years after she was reported missing on Mother's Day 2020, was arrested again Friday on suspicion of first-degree murder, authorities said. Barry Morphew was arrested Friday in Arizona after a Colorado grand jury returned an indictment. He was first arrested in the death of his wife in May of 2021 on suspicion of first-degree murder, tampering with a human body and other offenses. But prosecutors dropped their case against him the following year just as he was about to stand trial. A judge barred prosecutors from calling key witnesses for repeatedly failing to follow rules for turning over evidence in Barry Morphew's favor. That included DNA from an unknown male found in Suzanne Morphew's SUV. At the time, prosecutors said they wanted more time to find her body. Barry Morphew has repeatedly maintained his innocence and previously filed a $15 million lawsuit against county officials, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights. The mystery surrounding Suzanne Morphew began on May 10, 2020 when the 49-year-old mother of two daughters, who lived near the small town of Salida, was reported missing on Mother's Day. Suzanne Morphew's mountain bike and helmet were soon found in separate spots not far from her home but investigators suspected the bike had been purposefully thrown down into a ravine because there was no indications of a crash. A week after she went missing, Barry Morphew posted a video on Facebook pleading for her safe return. 'No questions asked, however much they want, I will do whatever it takes to get you back,' he said. When he was charged, the arrest affidavit laying out investigators' case against him said his wife insisted on leaving him. He later changed his statements as evidence in the case developed. Morphew, an avid hunter, did not initially tell investigators that he went out of his way as he left for work on Mother's Day, driving toward the place where his wife's bicycle helmet was eventually found. Later, he said he went that way because he had seen an elk cross the road, according to his arrest affidavit. After prosecutors dropped the charges against him, Barry Morphew's lawyers announced they had filed a complaint asking that the prosecutors be disciplined for allegedly intentionally withholding evidence in the case. Barry Morphew also filed a $15 million lawsuit against prosecutors and investigators, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights. However, the initial charges against Morphew were dismissed without prejudice, leaving the door open should prosecutors later decide to pursue a case against him again. That happened after Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents stumbled upon Suzanne Morphew's skeletal remains in a shallow grave during an unrelated search near the small southern Colorado town of Moffat in September 2023, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) south of Barry and Suzanne Morphew's home. An autopsy report released in April 2024 said Morphew's death was a homicide but said she died of 'undetermined means.' A cocktail of drugs that are used to tranquilize wildlife was found in one of her bones but there was no indication of trauma, the report said. A tranquilizer gun and accessories were found in the Morphews' home, according to investigators.
