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Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot dead on Saturday morning in what state governor Tim Walz described as a “politically motivated assassination”.
Hortman, a Democrat, and her husband were shot at their home by a man dressed as a police officer, authorities said. Police are still searching for the suspect, who escaped following a shootout with officers.
“My good friend and colleague Melissa and her husband Mark were shot and killed this morning in what appears to be a politically motivated assassination,” said Tim Walz, the state’s governor. He described Hortman as “a formidable public servant, a fixture and a giant in Minnesota”.
Democrat state senator John Hoffman and his wife were also shot in an incident at their home earlier on Saturday morning. Waltz said they were recovering in hospital.
“We are cautiously optimistic they will survive this assassination attempt,” he said, which he described as “an act of political violence”.
Bob Jacobson, commissioner of public safety for Minnesota, said that the suspect had been dressed as a police officer, adding: “The suspect exploited the trust of our uniforms.”
Jacobson said that increased security was in place for public officials and others that may be at risk.
Law enforcement officials confirmed the gunman was not a real police officer, but was driving a vehicle that appeared to be a squad car.
This is a developing story
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