Who Was Melissa Hortman? Minnesota Democratic Lawmaker and Her Husband Killed While Sen. John Hoffman Is Shot by Madman Posing as Cop
A Minnesota state legislator was shot dead and another was seriously wounded early Saturday in what police suspect were deliberate attacks at the homes of the Democratic state officials, according to reports.
Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed when a gunman posing as a police officer arrived at their home in Brooklyn Park, Governor Tim Walz announced during a press conference. Meanwhile, fellow party member Sen. John Hoffman was shot roughly 8 miles away in Champlin, sources told 5 Eyewitness News. Authorities have launched a manhunt for the unidentified suspect, who was last seen wearing black body armor over a blue shirt and blue trousers.
Madman on Killing Spree
"We're here today because an unspeakable tragedy has unfolded," Walz said, adding, "State Representative Melissa Hortman, a Democrat, was assassinated, and her husband, Mark, was also killed."
John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were shot multiple times while inside their home in Champlin. Walz said that both have undergone surgery but are still in critical condition.
A desperate manhunt, with help from the FBI, is now underway as investigators suspect that two people may have been involved in the early morning attacks.
Officials said at a Saturday morning press briefing that no arrests had been made, but several "persons of interest" had been taken in for questioning.
The first shooting happened shortly after 2 a.m. at Hoffman's home in Champlin, about 20 miles from Minneapolis. A man and a woman were shot multiple times, though their current conditions remain unclear, according to KSTP.
The second attack took place around 4 a.m., roughly eight miles to the south, at Representative Hortman's home in Brooklyn Park. One man was shot several times, but his medical status has not been confirmed, The Sun reported.
Following the shooting at Hortman's house, officials said police engaged one of the suspects in the street, leading to a shootout.
Drew Evans, head of the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that the suspect managed to escape during the exchange of gunfire and is still on the run.
Related Incidents of Targeted Attack
Officials suspect that both incidents are connected and involve a perpetrator pretending to be a police officer. Walz has spoken out on social media, denouncing the "targeted attacks" and announcing that the State Emergency Operations Center is being activated as authorities intensify their search for the suspect.
"I've been briefed this morning on an ongoing situation involving targeted shootings in Champlin and Brooklyn Park," Walz wrote on X.
"I've activated the State Emergency Operations Center. Local law enforcement in Champlin and Brooklyn Park have the full resources of the State of Minnesota behind them. We are monitoring the situation closely and will share more information soon," the Governor wrote.
The suspect was described by police as a white man with brown hair, dressed in black body armor layered over a blue shirt and blue pants.
Brooklyn Park Police issued a shelter-in-place alert around 5:30 a.m. which was later extended to cover a three-mile area surrounding the Edinburgh Golf Course.
A second emergency alert was sent out around 7 a.m., urging residents not to open their doors unless two officers were present and to call 911 to confirm the identity of any law enforcement personnel.
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