Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota, says that the former spokesman for the State House spokesman Melissa Hortman and her husband were killed in a politically motivated assassination. A second legislator and his wife were shot and wounded.
“We all have to stand against all forms of political violence in Minnesota and all over the country,” said Walz on Saturday at a press conference. “Those who are responsible for this are held accountable.”
The wounded legislator was identified as a democrat as Senator John Hoffman, who was first elected in 2012. He heads Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consulting firm. Previously, he was deputy chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, who managed the largest school district in Minnesota.
Hoffman is married and has a daughter. Hortman was the country’s democratic leader in state legislation and a former spokesman for the House of Representatives. It was elected for the first time in 2004.
Both Hoffman and Hortman represented districts north of Minneapolis.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Correete, said that the authorities were actively looking for a suspect. Officials said the suspect was disguised as a law enforcement officer.
Autopsies will be determined in which injuries are determined, but Hortman and her spouse died of gunshot wounds, said Evans.
Bob Johnson, Commissioner of Public Security, said the suspect was a law enforcement officer.
“The suspect has exploited the trust of our uniforms what our uniforms are supposed to represent. This betrayal disturbs for those of us who have the badge with honor and responsibility, deeply worrying,” he said. The shootings occurred at a time when political leaders were attacked, molested and intimidated nationwide.
Giffords, the organization for prevention of national weapons under the direction of the former MEP Gabrielle Giffords, published the following explanation.
“I am horrified and with a broken heart due to the attack of the last night on two patriotic officials,” said Giffords. “My family and I know the horror of a targeted shooting too well. An attack against the legislator is an attack on American democracy itself. The leaders have to express and condemn violent extremism for which this country stands for.”
Giffords was shot in the head by a shooter who killed six people and injured 12 more. She resigned from Congress in January 2012 to concentrate on her recovery.
This story was originally on Fortune.com
