Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and other elected officials from the Bay State say they are “horrified” by the brazen shootings that left one Minnesota lawmaker and her husband dead and another injured.
A man posing as a police officer shot and killed Minnesota Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in an attack at their home early Saturday, while state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were wounded in a separate shooting, according to authorities.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz described the shootings as “targeted political violence.”
Thoughts and prayers started to pour in from Massachusetts pols as details about the shootings became available.
“Lawmakers and their loved ones getting shot for their beliefs is yet another sickening act of political violence in a country where it’s become all too common,” Healey said in a statement Saturday afternoon.
“This is not normal,” the Bay State governor added. “It is not who we are as Americans, and we must all condemn political violence in the strongest possible terms.”
U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren added: “Violence is never the answer. Never. I’m holding everyone affected by this attack in my heart.”
Minnesota authorities were searching for the gunman responsible for the attacks on the Democratic legislators. Writings found inside a fake police car recovered at one of the shooting scenes mentioned the names of multiple lawmakers and other officials, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said.
Officials say both Hortman and Hoffman were mentioned in the suspect’s writings.
State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic asked people “out of an abundance of caution” not to attend any of the “No Kings” protests that were scheduled across the state on Saturday.
Bogojevic said authorities didn’t have any direct evidence that the protests would be targeted, but said the suspect had some “No Kings” flyers in their car. Organizers announced that all of the protests across the state were canceled.
In Boston, a “No Kings” rally coincided with an annual pride parade that drew hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants to the city on Saturday.
Opponents of President Trump’s agenda held thousands of ‘No Kings’ demonstrations across the country, including dozens in Massachusetts, as a massive military parade commemorating the 250th birthday of the U.S. Army made its way through the streets of Washington, D.C.
Bay State Congresswoman Lori Trahan called the fatal shooting of Hortman and her husband in Minnesota a political assassination.
“This is a shocking act of terrorism — targeted violence meant to silence, intimidate and instill fear in our communities,” Trahan said in a statement. “It must be condemned unequivocally, by leaders of all political stripes. Democracy depends on it.”
At the time of her death, Hortman was the top Democratic leader in the Minnesota State Legislature. She was also a former House speaker. She was first elected in 2004. She and her husband had two children.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect. Autopsies will be done to determine extent of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, he said.
“I am horrified by news of the targeted attack on Minnesota state lawmakers and their families this morning. We must denounce political violence in all its forms,” Mass My prayers are with the victims and the people of Minnesota following this horrific tragedy.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
