Melissa Hortman and husband shot dead in targeted attack on Democratic state politicians, Minnesota officials say – live updates

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Image source, Paul Battaglia/Minnesota House of Representatives

Melissa Hortman, the Minnesota legislator who was murdered earlier today, had been a prominent voice in the state’s Democratic Party.

She had served in the state’s House of Representatives for 20 years and led the chamber as its speaker from 2019 to 2025.

In 2020, she became an advocate for policing reform in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, successfully helping to enact a state ban on police choke holds that caused Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.

When Republicans gained seats in the chamber in November 2024 elections, Hortman led a boycott of the legislative session beginning in January.

Republicans held narrow control of the chamber until a special election in March filled a traditionally Democratic seat, resulting in a power-sharing agreement in which Hortman was a key player.

The Minnesota legislature just ended a special session in which it passed a budget resolution.

Hortman joined Republicans as the lone Democratic vote in support of a provision preventing adult undocumented migrants from accessing the state’s low-income health insurance system.

Hortman defended her vote as part of a larger compromise to pass a budget in the narrowly divided chamber.

“I did what leaders do, I stepped up and I got the job done for the people of Minnesota,” she said.

Hortman was killed four days later.