A Democratic state lawmaker and her husband were killed early on Saturday in what appeared to be a “politically motivated assassination,” while a second lawmaker and his spouse were wounded in a separate attack, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said.
“An unspeakable tragedy has unfolded in Minnesota —my good friend and colleague, Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, were shot and killed early this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” he told reporters.
“Our state lost a great leader,” he said.
Walz said that in a second attack, Senator John Hoffman and his wife, of Champlin, were shot multiple times, underwent surgery and that he was “cautiously optimistic” that they would survive “this assassination attempt”.
“This was an act of targeted political violence,” he said. “Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. We don’t settle our differences with violence or at gunpoint.”
Law enforcement authorities said the gunman was impersonating a police officer and escaped after exchanging fire with police who responded to the attacks.
A large-scale search for the suspect was underway, they said.
Trump condemns ‘terrible shooting’ of lawmakers
US President Donald Trump condemned the “terrible shooting” of two Minnesota Democratic state lawmakers, one of whom was killed.
“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.
“Such horrific violence will not be tolerated in the United States of America.”
