House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) and her husband, Mark, were fatally shot in their home early Saturday morning.
Gov. Tim Walz announced the news during a morning news conference.
“Our state lost a great leader, and I lost the dearest of friends,” Walz said. “Speaker Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor and a sense of service. She was a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota. She woke up every day determined to make this state a better place. She is irreplaceable and will be missed by so many.”
Sen. John Hoffman (DFL-Champlin) and his wife, Yvette, were also shot in their home in a related attack. Walz said both are expected to survive.