Minnesota House Speaker Laid to Rest After Politically Motivated Killing

Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman was laid to rest alongside her husband on Saturday, weeks after her death in what authorities have called a politically motivated assassination. The couple was shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home on June 14. Democratic state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were also shot at their nearby home the same day, but survived.

Hortman, 55, her husband, and their golden retriever, who was also killed in the attack, lay in state at the Minnesota Capitol rotunda on Friday. She was the first woman to receive this honor at the state’s capitol building, drawing thousands of mourners. Hortman served as speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives starting in 2019. Her title became speaker emerita under a power-sharing agreement reached in February.

The funeral brought together prominent politicians, including former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz. The private services were livestreamed. The services before the burial were held at the Basilica of St. Mary in Minneapolis on Saturday morning.

fiercely, enthusiastically, and heartily, while maintaining a focus on common humanity.

Father Daniel Griffith, who led the proceedings, read an email from another clergyman that said, “Our nation is in need of deep healing.” He noted that Minnesota had become a focal point for both racial injustice and political violence and extremism, both of which must be strongly condemned as threats to human dignity and democracy.

The Hortmans' slayings were part of what authorities described as a list of planned political attacks. The man charged in connection with the attacks, Vance Boelter, 57, allegedly impersonated a law enforcement officer to carry out the shootings. He approached the lawmakers’ homes wearing a vest, a blue long-sleeve shirt, and what appeared to be a badge.

The shootings prompted the largest manhunt in the state’s history. Authorities found Boelter two days after the shootings, armed and crawling in a field. Officials found a notebook belonging to Boelter with a hit list of other politicians, particularly those who have vocally supported abortion. The list included politicians from several states.

Boelter’s wife spoke out about the attacks for the first time on Thursday, expressing shock, heartbreak, and a complete lack of alignment with their family's beliefs. She stated that the violence was a betrayal of their Christian faith and expressed horror and sympathy for the victims.

The United States has seen an increase in acts of political violence in recent years. Hortman’s death prompted a rare moment of unity among Democratic and Republican leaders, with top members of both parties condemning the attacks.