What to Know About the 2 Minnesota Political Couples Shot in 'Targeted' Attacks by Suspect Pretending to Be a Cop

In the early hours of June 14, two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses were shot in their homes in what Gov. Tim Walz has called a “politically motivated assassination.”

Sen. John Hoffman and Rep. Melissa Hortman were both targeted in the overnight attacks, which were carried out by a suspect pretending to be a law enforcement officer, Minnesota authorities said in a press conference.

Melissa and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home, while John and his wife Yvette sustained gunshot wounds in their Champlin residence, authorities said. In the same press conference, Walz said he is “cautiously optimistic” that the couple will survive the attack.

The suspect — who planned to harm many more individuals, according to a manifesto authorities said they recovered from his vehicle — remained at large at 1 p.m. local time.

Here’s everything to know about John and Melissa, as well as their spouses, as the massive manhunt for the shooter continues.

Melissa and Mark Hortman

Melissa, 55, was a Democrat who represented Minnesota House District 34B — which covers Brooklyn Park, Coon Rapids and Champlin — and served as the Speaker Emerita of the Minnesota House.

The late lawmaker was elected to the Minnesota Legislature in 2004 and at the time of her death, was serving her 11th term. She was “particularly active in the areas of transportation, K-12 education funding, higher education, energy and the environment,” her website states.

After growing up in Spring Lake Park and Andover, she studied at Boston University and worked for former Senators Al Gore and John Kerry before returning to her home state to begin law school at the University of Minnesota. She also had a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvard Kennedy School.

Melissa and her husband Mark were “proud parents” of two children, her website states. The couple shared a daughter, who goes by both Sophia and Sophie, and a son, Colin, and traveled often. They bought their first house on Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn Park, which is “the street they still live on today,” her website notes. This is the same home they were killed in.

The lawmaker and her husband (a program manager, per his social media) would have celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary in August.

While celebrating the milestone on Facebook last year, Melissa wrote, “Happy 31st Anniversary, Mark Hortman! Isn’t it romantic to mow the grass & wait for primary results? So glad to be together, whether we’re chasing waterfalls in Scotland or right here on the couch.”

John and Yvette Hoffman

John, 60, is also a Democrat. He represents Minnesota Senate District 34, which covers Rogers, Dayton, Champlin and parts of Brooklyn Park and Coon Rapids.

The lawmaker was first elected in 2012 and was re-elected three more times in 2016, 2020 and 2022. At the time of the attack, he was serving his fourth term. He is chair of the Human Services Committee, and also served on various energy, environment and health-related committees.

John is also a business owner and parent. He owns a consulting firm, Hoffman Strategic Advisors, and is father to daughter Hope with his wife, Yvette. Hope, 28, is a disability rights activist, and Yvette is a kindergarten teacher.

The couple celebrated 30 years of marriage in 2023, with Yvette writing at the time: “I love you John Hoffman let’s never stop holding hands.”

During the June 14 attack, the teacher reportedly saved Hope from the shooter, Yvette’s nephew told KARE 11’s A.J. Lagoe. “Yvette threw herself on top of her daughter,” Lagoe said during a recent broadcast. “The daughter was not hit.”

Yvette frequently supports her husband and his political career on social media. Just hours before the attack, she shared multiple posts celebrating the weekend ahead.