Gunman Targets Politicians in Overnight Shooting Spree Killing 2

In a stunning act of political terror that has left Minnesotans shaken and authorities scrambling, a masked gunman disguised as a cop stormed into two homes late Friday night—executing a former state House Speaker and critically wounding a state senator and his wife.

This was no random rampage. Law enforcement and state leaders are calling it what it is: a targeted political assassination.

Melissa Hortman, a longtime power player in Minnesota’s Democrat–Farmer–Labor Party, was gunned down alongside her husband inside their Brooklyn Park home. Just miles away, DFL Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot multiple times in a parallel attack that has officials convinced this was a carefully orchestrated hit.

And the killer? Still on the loose. Armed. Dangerous. And dressed like one of the good guys.

According to police, the suspect wore black body armor over a blue uniform, carried a badge and Taser, and drove what looked like an official police SUV—complete with flashing lights. He walked right up to these homes pretending to be law enforcement, then opened fire.

“He looked like a cop. He acted like a cop. And then he started killing,” said a shaken law enforcement source close to the investigation.

Authorities say the killer exchanged gunfire with police outside the Hortman residence before vanishing into the night. A massive manhunt is now underway involving the FBI, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and every available state trooper.

The entire Twin Cities region is now on edge.

Residents near the attack sites have been ordered to shelter in place. Law enforcement is urging the public not to answer their doors unless two clearly marked officers are present.

“This was not just an attack on public officials—it was an attack on our entire system,” said Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson. “The suspect used the power of a badge to commit cold-blooded murder.”

Governor Tim Walz called it a ‘politically motivated assassination’—but critics say his response is too little, too late.

“This is what happens when you ignore the growing threats, when you downplay the rhetoric, when you pretend everything is fine,” said one Republican strategist. “Now a sitting senator is fighting for his life, and a former speaker is dead in her own home.”

This is no longer just a Minnesota crisis. This is a national wake-up call.