A US mayor has reported that two state legislators were shot in their residences.
Mayor Ryan Sabas of Champlin, Minnesota, announced that state senator John Hoffman and state representative Melissa Hortman were among those injured, along with their spouses.
Unfortunately, CBS News has confirmed the deaths of Hortman and her husband in the incident.
According to a source with knowledge of the situation, The Associated Press reported that investigators suspect the shooter may have impersonated a law enforcement officer.
The source mentioned that the investigation is in its early stages and the motive behind the attacks is still being determined.
Democratic senator Hoffman, first elected in 2012, manages Hoffman Strategic Advisors, a consultancy firm.
He has also served as vice-chairman of the Anoka Hennepin School Board, overseeing Minnesota’s largest school district.
Hortman, who was the leading House Democratic leader in the state legislature and a past house speaker, first entered office in 2004.
Both Hoffman and Hortman represented areas north of Minneapolis.
In response to the overnight tragedy, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the shootings as ‘politically motivated’.
“Hortman was someone who served the people of Minnesota with grace, compassion, humor, and a sense of service,” said Walz, paying tribute to Hortman. “She was a formidable public servant. A fixture and a giant in Minnesota.”
Walz also mentioned that they remain ‘cautiously optimistic’ regarding the recovery of Hoffman and his wife, who were reported to have sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
The couple is currently out of surgery and in recovery.
Following these events, lawmakers have been advised to adopt additional safety measures, as the suspect remains at large.
As reported by CBS, the suspect is described as ‘a white man with brown hair who’s believed to be wearing a blue shirt and blue pants with a tactical vest’.
The Brooklyn Park Police Department has enforced a shelter-in-place directive within a three-mile radius surrounding Edinburgh Golf Course, according to BBC News.
Police have advised that if they visit your door, they will arrive in pairs. If only one officer is present, you should contact 911 to verify if a legitimate officer was in your vicinity.
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