A somber Gov. Tim Walz spoke about the work and legacy of State Rep. Melissa Hortman, who authorities said was assassinated at her home Saturday morning. Police said the suspect targeted her, another Democratic state legislator and their spouses.
“Our state lost a dear leader and I lost the dearest of friends,” Walz told reporters at a news conference.
Hortman, the former Minnesota House speaker, and her husband Mark were shot and killed at their home in Brooklyn Park around 3:35 a.m. by a suspect who was impersonating a police officer, investigators said.
Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman are shown in these undated file photos.
Minnesota House of Representatives | Minnesota Senate
The shooting took place nearly 90 minutes after the same suspect shot and wounded State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their home in Champlin, according to police. The unidentified suspect, who had a list of other targets, fled on foot after engaging in a firefight with officers outside Hortman’s home, police said.
Walz described Hortman as someone who served the state with “great compassion, grace, humor and a sense of service.”
“She was a formidable publc servant. A fixture and giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place,” he told reporters.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz speaks at a press conference about the shooting of two state lawmakers, on June 14, 2025.
Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Other leaders from the state offered similar condolenses throughout the morning.
Democratic National Committee Ken Martin, former Minnesota Democratic party chair and friend of both victims, said in a statement that “like so many Minnesotans, my heart is broken.”
“Melissa, Mark, John, and Yvette — these are not just names, and this is not just politics. These are people. They’re longtime friends to me and Jenn and so many others in Minnesota. They have children, loved ones, neighbors, and friends,” Martin wrote.
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who said she is a close friend of the victims, condemned in an X post “the stunning act of violence.”
“I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families,” she wrote.
President Donald Trump also issued a statement Saturday morning condemning the violence.
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America. God Bless the great people of Minnesota, a truly great place,” he said.
The White House said in a statement that the FBI and the Attorney General’s office will be investigating and “will be prosecuting anyone involved to the fullest extent of the law.”
ABC News’ Brittany Shepherd, Averi Harper and Selina Wang contributed to this report.
