ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Wednesday evening, a large crowd gathered outside Minnesota’s Capitol for a vigil, honoring a well-respected state lawmaker and her husband who were tragically shot at their residence. Many attendees held candles or brought flowers to place at a memorial.
While a brass quintet from the Minnesota Orchestra performed, Governor Tim Walz was seen wiping away tears and offering comfort to those present. The event was in remembrance of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed early Saturday in the suburbs north of Minneapolis.
Walz has described Hortman as his closest political ally and “the most consequential Speaker in state history.”
Wednesday’s vigil also included a Native American drum circle, a string quartet and the crowd singing “Amazing Grace.”
The memorial, which was created outside the Capitol following the incident, is adorned with flowers, American flags, photos of Hortman, and sticky notes carrying messages like, “Thank you for always believing in me and in Minnesota” and “We got this from here. Thank you for everything.”
Around the gathering, there was a heavy police presence, with law enforcement blocking off streets leading up to the Capitol and state troopers standing guard.
The event didn’t have a speaking program planned and attendees were instructed not to bring signs of any kind.
The man charged in federal and state court with killing the Hortmans, Vance Boelter, is also accused of shooting another Democratic lawmaker, Sen. John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home a few miles away in Champlin. They survived and are recovering. Federal prosecutors have declined to speculate about a motive.
Boelter’s attorneys have declined to comment on the charges.
Hortman had served as the top House Democratic leader since 2017, and six years as speaker, starting in 2019. Under a power-sharing deal after the 2024 election left the House tied, her title became speaker emerita and Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth became speaker.
The Hortmans were alumni of the University of Minnesota, which held a midday memorial gathering on the Minneapolis campus.
Rebecca Cunningham, the university’s president, spoke during the event about the grief and outrage people are grappling with along with questions about how things got to this point.
“I don’t have the answers to these questions but I know that finding answers starts with the coming together in community as we are today,” she said.
Funeral information for the Hortmans has not been announced.
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