State Rep. Melissa Hortman with her dog, Gilbert. He also died in Saturday’s attack at her home.
MINNEAPOLIS — State Rep. Melissa Hortman, a longtime Democratic leader in the Minnesota House, was shot and killed alongside her husband in their Brooklyn Park home early Saturday in what authorities are calling a targeted political attack.
Hortman, 53, had been a powerful force in state politics since her 2004 election. As House Speaker in 2023, she played a central role in advancing key Democratic priorities, including free school meals for all students. Most recently, she cast the deciding vote in a contentious budget deal that averted a state government shutdown, despite concerns about the loss of health care coverage for undocumented immigrants.
The couple’s deaths followed the separate shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife in nearby Champlin. Both are recovering after surgery. The shootings occurred just hours after top state Democrats gathered in Minneapolis for the party’s annual Humphrey-Mondale dinner.
Tributes poured in over the weekend. “She was a true leader … such a decent person,” said U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar. A memorial outside the Capitol features flowers, candles, and messages praising Hortman’s work and compassion.
Before her political career, Hortman worked as a lawyer fighting housing discrimination and volunteered with Helping Paws, which trains service dogs for veterans. The nonprofit posted a tribute along with a photo of Hortman with Gilbert, a golden retriever trained as a service dog and later adopted by her family.
Hortman is survived by her two adult children. Her husband, Mark, was a business executive involved in community service projects with Helping Paws and Habitat for Humanity.
