A Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband were shot and killed overnight in what Gov. Tim Walz said was a “politically motivated assassination.”

Melissa Hoffman, Speaker Emerita of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), and her partner were victims of a shooting incident in Brooklyn Park, carried out by an individual pretending to be a police officer.

Similarly, DFL Senator John Hoffman and his spouse were wounded in another shooting in Champlin. FOX 9 reports that both have undergone surgery and are expected to recover.

The suspect, who engaged in a shootout with police officers upon their arrival, managed to escape. An alert described him as dressed in black body armor over a blue shirt and blue pants, potentially posing as a policeman. 

Emerita Melissa Hoffman and Sen. John Hoffman were shot overnight. Their spouses were also shot. (Fox 9)

Walz said this morning that had activated the State Emergency Operations Center.

“The Minnesota Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are on the scene,” Walz wrote on X.

“Local law enforcement in Champlin and Brooklyn Park have the full resources of the State of Minnesota behind them,” he wrote on a follow-up post. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will share more information soon.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated.