Authorities in Minnesota launched a massive manhunt on Saturday after a suspect impersonating a police officer shot two Democratic state legislators and their spouses in their suburban homes, prompting lockdown advisories in two Minneapolis suburbs.
The victims, identified as State Senator John Hoffman and his wife in Champlin, and State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband in Brooklyn Park, were targeted in pre-dawn attacks that have stunned the political community and left residents shaken.
Local media reports indicate that the assailant posed as a law enforcement officer to gain access to the lawmakers’ homes before opening fire. As of Saturday afternoon, the condition of the victims has not been officially released.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed the attacks in a series of posts on X, formerly Twitter, saying he had been briefed on the “ongoing situation involving targeted shootings” in both suburbs. “We are providing the full resources of the state,” Walz said, adding that the state’s Emergency Operations Center had been activated to support local law enforcement.
The governor is expected to address the public shortly alongside the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
Senator Amy Klobuchar, who represents Minnesota in the U.S. Senate, also took to social media to confirm the identities of the victims and express her concern. “This is a stunning act of violence. My prayers are with the Hortman and Hoffman families. Both legislators are close friends and devoted to their families and public service,” she wrote.
Residents in Champlin and Brooklyn Park were advised to stay indoors as law enforcement officers conducted an active search for the suspect, whose identity and motive remain unknown. Authorities have not disclosed whether the attacks were politically motivated or part of a broader threat.
The twin attacks have sent shockwaves through the state’s political establishment, raising concerns over the safety of public officials amid growing political tensions across the country.
As investigations continue, both communities remain on edge, with police urging anyone with information about the suspect or the attacks to come forward. More details are expected during Governor Walz’s scheduled press briefing later today.
