Speaker Honorary Chairman Melissa Hartman will speak with her colleagues at a special legislative meeting held at the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Photo: Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer)

Melissa Hortman, leader of the House Democrat Farmer Laborg Caucus, who was one of Minnesota’s most influential elected officials of the past decade, passed away Saturday morning after a man impersonating a police officer shot her at a Brooklyn Park home.

Hortman’s husband was also shot and killed, the governor said.

Waltz, who appears emotional at a press conference on the Northern Subway, said they were clearly killed in a “politically motivated assassination.”

“Our state lost a great leader and I lost a beloved friend,” Waltz said. “(Hortman) was a terrifying civil servant, Minnesota equipment and a giant.”

Democrat Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot multiple times in Champurin’s house in the evening. Waltz said they had not undergone surgery and said they were “cautiously optimistic about surviving this assassination attempt.”

Drew Evans, the Bureau of Criminal Arrests, said it received a call that Champlin’s law enforcement agency had shot Hoffman and his wife around 2am.

Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said his officers helped fire Shampurin. Sgt. suggested checking in at Hortman’s home. They live about 5-8 miles apart from each other. When Brooklyn Park police officers arrived at Hortman’s house, they met someone dressed like police officers who “quickly fired them,” Evans said. Police exchanged shootings with the person, but they managed to escape.

The shooters are still large, and Brooklyn Park is taking shelter orders. Hundreds of police officers and SWAT teams are doing manhunts for the person, officials said.

Bruly said when they arrived at Hortman’s house they saw the police SUV turned on and saw the suspect impersonating a police officer.

In the SUV, police find a “manifesto” and lists MPs and other officials. Hortman and Hoffman were on the list.

Hortman, who has two adult children, was first elected to Congress in 2004 and served as Speaker of the House from 2019-2024. She lost two elections before winning. She said she understood what it takes to acquire and hold the swing sheet.

Her speech is remembered as one of the most important recent Minnesota political history. Along with Walz and Senate GOP majority leader Paul Gazelka, she led the nation through the pandemic before helping Democrats achieve triple ecta ​​in the 2022 election.

At the 2023 legislative conference, she helped bridge the wide bay between party member mitigation groups and progressives to achieve historic legislative agenda. The Democrats codified the right to abortion in the law. I invested in education, including food, transportation and housing at Universal Schools. I created a paid family leave. Legalized Cannabis; Gun Control Act has been passed.

The encomium was poured on Saturday. “There is no better champion for Minnesota workers than Melissa Hortman,” said Joel Smith of North Dakota, president and business manager at Riuna Minnesota and workers’ union.

Hoffman was elected in 2012 and is known for his work at Human Services.

Reformers I sat with Hortman at Capitol on Thursday to discuss the 2025 session that ended Monday.

During Saturday’s remarks, Waltz condemned political violence and said those involved in the shooting would be caught and held responsible.

“This was an act of targeted political violence. Peaceful discourse is the foundation of our democracy. It does not resolve violence or differences in muzzle,” Waltz said.

House Speaker of the R-Cold Spring, Lisa Demuth, worked closely with Hortman in Congress to negotiate the state budget this year, saying Hortman’s murder is horrifying.

“I am terrified by the evil attacks that took place overnight and heartbroken beyond words by the loss of Speaker Emelita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark,” Demus said in a statement.

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