Blain, Minnesota (AP) – The governor of the state of Minnesota Tim Walz said that former head of State Melissa Hortmann and her husband were killed in a political assassination, and the second legislator and his wife were shot. The authorities were actively looking for a suspect after hours of targeted killings.
“We must all, in Minnesota and throughout the country, should stand against all forms of political violence,” Walz said at a press conference on Saturday. “Those responsible for this will be responsible.”
The wounded legislator, such as the state of state John Hoffman, a democratic, was first elected in 2012. He previously held the position of Vice President of the Anuka Henibin School Council, who runs the largest school area in Minnesota.
Hoffman is married and has one daughter. Hurtman was a democratic leader in the House of Representatives in the state legislative council and former Speaker of Parliament. It was first elected in 2004.
Drew Evans, director of the Criminal Fears Office, said the authorities were actively looking for the suspect.
Evans said that the autopsy will be done to determine the extent of injuries, but Hortmann and her husband died of his wounds. The “shelter in its place” was in effect early on Saturday.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the suspect was a law enforcement officer.
He said: “The suspect took advantage of Zina’s official confidence, and what Zena aims to represent. This betrayal is very annoying for those who wear the badge with honor and responsibility.”
Police chief Mark Broley said the suspect had escaped from the back of Hortman’s house after an exchange of fire with the police.
Broalli said the suspect was wearing clothes as an officer wearing an uniform and operating a vehicle, “It seemed just like the SUV Squad. It was equipped with lights and emergency lights and seemed exactly like a police vehicle.”
The FBI joined the investigation, according to a statement published by Dan Bonginho, deputy director of the agency.
Minnesota House Lisa Demouth, a Republic of Cold Spring, described the attack as “evil” and said she was “sad behind words” due to the killings of Hortmann and her husband Mark.
“With the continuous law enforcement response and the details are still arising, I will ask all Minnesotan to raise the prayer of the victims of this horrific attack, as well as law enforcement employees who are still working to arrest the perpetrators,” Demouth said in a statement.
The shootings occurred at a time when political leaders throughout the country were attacked, harassed and intimidated during a period of deep political divisions.
Jeffords, a national arms violence organization led by former US MP Gabriel Jeffords, issued the following statement.
“My family and I know the horror of the targeted shooting well,” said Jeffords. “The attack against legislators is an attack on American democracy itself. Leaders must speak and condemn the exciting violent extremism that threatens everything represented by this country.”
Jeffords was shot in his head in 2011 by a gunman who killed six people and 12 others were wounded. He stepped down from Congress in January 2012 to focus on its recovery.