US politician and husband shot dead in ‘politically-motivated assassination.
Police in Minnesota have launched a manhunt after a state lawmaker and her husband were shot dead in their home in what has been described as a “politically-motivated assassination”.
Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were killed early on Saturday morning, with the suspect still at large, officials said at a news conference.
Authorities say the same suspect targeted Minnesota State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, each of whom were shot multiple times.
“The Hoffmans are out of surgery at this time and receiving care, and we are cautiously optimally optimistic, they will survive this assassination attempt,” Minnesota Governor Tim Walz told Saturday’s conference.
The FBI is assisting police, who are searching for a male wearing black body armour and a blue shirt who may have impersonated law enforcement, one law enforcement source told ITV News’ North American partner, CNN.
Investigators are said to be working to establish a motive for the attacks, although Governor Walz did say the attacks appeared to be a “politically-motivated assassination”.
“This is a stunning act of violence. I’m thankful for all the law enforcement who are responding in real time,” Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar said in a social media post.
“My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service.”
The two shootings took place in the cities of Champlin and Brooklyn Park, with the Brooklyn Park Police Department issuing a shelter-in-place order in a 3-mile radius of Edinburgh Golf Course Saturday morning.
Former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, now the head of national gun violence prevention organisation GIFFORDS, said in a statement on Saturday that she is ” horrified and heartbroken by last night’s attack on two patriotic public servants”.“My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting all too well. An attack against lawmakers is an attack on American democracy itself,” said Giffords, who was one of 13 wounded in an Arizona supermarket parking lot shooting in 2011.
“Leaders must speak out and condemn the fomenting violent extremism that threatens everything this country stands for.”Hoffman, a Democrat, was first elected in 2012. He runs Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm and previously served as vice chair of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest school district in Minnesota.Hortman, a lawyer and former House Speaker, was first elected in 2004 and became the top House Democratic leader in the state Legislature.
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