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BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says erstwhile authorities House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her hubby were killed successful a politically motivated assassination, and a 2nd lawmaker and his woman were changeable and wounded. Authorities were actively searching for a fishy hours aft the targeted killings.
“We indispensable all, successful Minnesota and crossed the country, basal against each forms of governmental violence," Walz said astatine a property league Saturday. “Those liable for this volition beryllium held accountable.”
The wounded lawmaker was identified arsenic authorities Sen. John Hoffman, a Democrat, was archetypal elected successful 2012. He antecedently served arsenic vice seat of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, which manages the largest schoolhouse territory successful Minnesota.
Hoffman is joined and has 1 daughter. Hortman was the apical House Democratic person successful the authorities Legislature and a erstwhile House speaker. She was archetypal elected successful 2004.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said that authorities were actively searching for a suspect.
Autopsies volition beryllium done to find grade of injuries, but Hortman and her spouse died from gunshot wounds, Evans said. A “shelter successful place” bid was successful effect aboriginal Saturday.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said the fishy was posing arsenic a instrumentality enforcement officer.
“Suspect exploited the spot of our uniforms, what our uniforms are meant to represent. That betrayal is profoundly disturbing to those of america who deterioration the badge with grant and responsibility,” helium said.
Police Chief Mark Bruley said the fishy fled retired of the backmost of Hortman's location aft an speech of gunfire with police.
The fishy was dressed similar a uniformed serviceman and operating a conveyance that “looked precisely similar an SUV squad car. It was equipped with lights, exigency lights and looked precisely similar a constabulary vehicle,” Bruley said.
The FBI has joined successful the investigation, according to a connection posted by Dan Bonginio, the agency's lawman director.
Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth, a Republican from Cold Spring, called the onslaught “evil” and said she was “heartbroken beyond words” by the killings of Hortman and her husband, Mark.
"With the instrumentality enforcement effect ongoing and details inactive emerging, I volition simply inquire each Minnesotans to delight assistance up successful supplication the victims of this horrific attack, arsenic good arsenic the instrumentality enforcement unit inactive moving to apprehend the perpetrator,” Demuth said successful a statement.
The shootings happened astatine a clip erstwhile governmental leaders nationwide person been attacked, harassed and intimidated during a clip of heavy governmental divisions.
GIFFORDS, the nationalist weapon unit prevention enactment led by erstwhile U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, released the pursuing statement.
“My household and I cognize the fearfulness of a targeted shooting each excessively well," Giffords said. "An onslaught against lawmakers is an onslaught connected American ideology itself. Leaders indispensable talk retired and condemn the fomenting convulsive extremism that threatens everything this state stands for.”
Giffords was changeable successful the caput successful 2011 by a gunman who killed six radical and injured 12 others. She stepped down from Congress successful January 2012 to absorption connected her recovery.
