A gunman impersonating a police officer killed a senior Democratic lawmaker in Minnesota and her husband in what officials are calling a politically motivated assassination, Governor Tim Walz confirmed Saturday.
Melissa Hortman, a former speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives, and her husband, Mark, were shot dead at their residence. The assailant had earlier shot and critically wounded Democratic State Senator John Hoffman and his wife in Champlin, before targeting the Hortmans, according to Walz.
“This was an act of targeted political violence,” the governor said during a press briefing. “We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint. Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy.”
The suspect, who was disguised in a police uniform, exchanged gunfire with responding officers at the Hortman home before fleeing on foot. Authorities later discovered an abandoned vehicle containing a manifesto and a list of other elected officials, suggesting broader intentions.
US President Donald Trump reacted swiftly, calling the incident a “terrible shooting” and a “targeted attack against state lawmakers.” In a statement, he said: “Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God bless the great people of Minnesota.”
Senator Hoffman and his wife underwent emergency surgery. Governor Walz said he was "cautiously optimistic" about their recovery. A statewide manhunt is underway for the suspect, with law enforcement urging the public to remain alert.
Source: Agencies
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
