Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is commemorating Melissa Hortman.
Hours after the Democratic legislator and her husband were murdered in their home in what is described as a “politically motivated assassination,” Walz, 61, addressed the mother of two during an emotional news conference on Saturday, June 14. Senator John Hoffman and his spouse sustained injuries in an unrelated assault.
The governor said, “Speaker Hortman served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a commitment to service.” “She was an influential public servant, a prominent figure and a titan in Minnesota.”
Emphasizing that Hortman “awoke each day resolute in her mission to improve this state,” Walz said that his associate “is indispensable and will be profoundly missed by many.”
“Minnesota extends its condolences to her family, loved ones, children, and parents,” he concluded.
Authorities were first notified of the assault occurring at Hoffman’s residence at around 2 a.m. local time, said Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, at the news conference on June 14. FOX 9 and local NBC station KARE 11 stated that Hortman dwells in Champlin, while Hoffman lives near Brooklyn Park.
When officers conducted a “proactive” check on Hortman, they confronted the suspect, who “immediately” discharged his weapon at them, Evans said, adding, “The individual managed to evade capture during that exchange of gunfire.”
Brooklyn Park then enacted a shelter-in-place order while pursuing the suspect, who was impersonating law enforcement, as reported by KARE 11. The suspect is characterized as a Caucasian guy with brown hair, attired in a blue shirt, blue trousers, and black body armor.
At the press conference on June 14, Walz said that Hoffman and his wife are “out of surgery” and “receiving care.” He said, “We are cautiously confident they will survive this murder attempt,” which he characterized as “an act of targeted political violence.”
Hortman was elected in 2004. According to her website, she was notably engaged in transportation, K-12 school financing, higher education, energy, and environmental issues.
According to her profile from the Minnesota House of Representatives, she has previously attended Boston University, the University of Minnesota, and Harvard Kennedy School.
The politician formerly collaborated with former Senators Al Gore and John Kerry and engaged in several charity initiatives.
Hortman and her spouse Mark have two children together.
