A Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed overnight in what Gov. Tim Walz said was a “politically motivated assassination.”
Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark Ali were shot in Brooklyn Park by a suspect impersonating a police officer, police said.
In a related shooting, DFL Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in Champlin. They are expected to survive and are out of surgery. The incidents unfolded at around 2 a.m.
The suspect exchanged gunfire with responding police but fled the scene and is still at large with a massive manhunt now underway.
A shelter-in-place order has been issued within a 3-mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course.
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The suspect wore black body armor, a badge, a Taser and appeared indistinguishable from real law enforcement, police said. He also drove a police-style SUV with flashing lights.
“Our state lost a great leader,” Walz said at a press briefing Saturday morning, describing the incident as an “unspeakable tragedy. “Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture, and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by so many Minnesotans.”
Meanwhile, Walz said that he was “cautiously optimistic” about Hoffman and his wife surviving. Both were shot multiple times.
“This was an act of targeted political violence,” Walz said. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle their differences with violence or at gunpoint in the state of Minnesota.”
Authorities have urged the public not to approach the suspect and to call 911 with any information.bA shelter-in-place order has been issued within a 3-mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course.
Police said the suspect impersonated a police officer to gain access to the homes.
Law enforcement responded to a shooting at Hoffman’s home in Champlin at 2 a.m. where he and his wife had been shot multiple times.
Officers then conducted a welfare check at Speaker Hortman’s residence in Brooklyn Park at around 3:35 a.m. and saw what appeared to be a police officer and a squad car outside. When they confronted the person, the suspect opened fire on them and police returned fire before the suspect fled the scene.
Police said there was a manifesto in the vehicle that identified many lawmakers and other officials. Police have since alerted them.
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A massive manhunt is underway, involving the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), State Patrol and local departments.
At the time of the press conference, no suspect was in custody, though several people had been detained and questioned.
“The suspect exploited the trust our uniforms represent… This betrayal is deeply disturbing,” Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said.
Residents are being told to not answer the door unless two uniformed officers are present.
President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi said they have been monitoring developments in the case.
“I have been briefed on the terrible shooting that took place in Minnesota, which appears to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers,” Trump said in a statement.
“Our Attorney General, Pam Bondi, and the FBI, are investigating the situation, and they will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law. Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place!”
Bondi also said it appeared to be a targeted attack against state lawmakers.
“The FBI is on the ground investigating this case alongside state and local partners,” Bondi wrote on X. “This horrific violence will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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Walz said this morning that he had 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,” he wrote on a follow-up post. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will share more information soon.”
