Former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their residence early Saturday, and state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times in their nearby home, The Associated Press reported.
As the search continues for the suspect authorities believe was posing as a police officer, Utah leaders from both sides of the aisle are responding to the violence.
[Read more: ‘This is not a joke’: Sen. Amy Klobuchar rips Mike Lee for posts about a deadly Minnesota shooting.]
“We are heartbroken and outraged,” Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, and Utah House Minority Leader Rep. Angela Romero, D-Salt Lake City, said in a joint statement.
Escamilla and Romero said they had worked on issues with Hortman, who they said “was a strong voice for equity, environmental justice, and the most vulnerable in her state.” She was “a fierce advocate for reproductive rights and for all Minnesotans,” they added. “Her loss is immeasurable.”
“Political violence and hate have no place in our democracy,” they continued. “No one, elected or not, should ever fear for their safety when expressing their beliefs or serving their communities. We urge leaders at every level to recognize the tragedy of this moment and commit to deflating divisive and harmful rhetoric in our communities.”
Romero issued a separate statement in her role as president of the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators, noting state legislators’ jobs can be difficult and thankless.
“We witness this every day through the work of the members of our Caucus in all corners of the country, and it’s unconscionable to think they could be in danger for representing their neighbors in our state capitals,” she said. “There’s no space for political violence in our democracy.”
(Minnesota House, left, and Minnesota Senate via The New York Times) In official government portraits, Minnesota State Rep. Melissa Hortman, the top Democrat in the House, and State Sen. John A. Hoffman, the two lawmakers attacked by a gunman disguised as a policeman on Saturday, June 14, 2025. Hortman and her husband, Mark, were killed in their home in a politically motivated attack; Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, later wounded in an attack at their home.
From the other side of the aisle, national Utah Rep. Burgess Owens took to X to share his thoughts in a post.
“Heartbroken by the tragic news out of Minnesota,” he said, and echoed Romero: “Political violence has no place in our country. Praying for the Hortman and Hoffman families during this devastating time.”
On his X account, Gov. Spencer Cox called the Minnesota attacks “a heartbreaking reminder of what happens when we allow hatred to replace our shared humanity.” He added: “In a free society, disagreement is inevitable. Violence is not. We must recommit to the virtues that hold us together — and to the conviction that every person, regardless of politics, deserves our respect.”
Lt. Gov. Deidre M. Henderson also offered her condolences on X. “Gabe and I are praying for the full recovery of Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette,” she wrote.
“Political violence is never acceptable,” Henderson added. “This was a horrific act — and a direct assault on our values as Americans. We must stand united against hate.”
Utah Senate President Stuart Adams, R-Layton, said on X: “This is a profoundly sad day, not just for Minnesota but for our entire nation. This senseless act of violence is unacceptable. We may not always agree, but violence is never the answer.”
And Utah Sen. Mike Lee briefly posted about the suspected shooter. “My guess: He’s not MAGA,” he wrote on X.
The Utah Senate Democratic Caucus also issued a statement saying Hortman’s leadership will be “immensely” missed.“ No American should fear for their safety when expressing their beliefs or serving the public,” it stated.
Salt Lake County Mayor Jenny Wilson, a Democrat, wished Hoffman and his wife quick and full recoveries.
“It is my hope that justice will be swiftly served,” she said in a statement. “Violence is never the answer. We the people can, should, and must do better.”
Police in Minnesota have identified a 57-year-old man as the suspect, according to the AP. After officials found flyers for “No Kings” protests in his car, the AP reported, organizers cancelled the events across the state.
