Thousands Mourn Melissa Hortman as Political Violence Shakes Minnesota and the Nation

Beneath the towering arches of the Basilica of St. Mary on Saturday, thousands gathered to pay final respects to former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman, whose assassination earlier this month has sent shockwaves across the nation and reignited concern over the rise of politically motivated violence in America.

Hortman, 55, and her husband, Mark Hortman, were shot and killed in their Brooklyn Park home on June 14 in what authorities have described as a targeted political attack. Their golden retriever was also killed. The tragedy, which also saw state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife survive a similar attempt on their lives that same day, has become a chilling reminder of growing extremism in the political landscape.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz were among those in attendance at Saturday’s funeral. The service followed a historic moment on Friday, when Hortman became the first woman to lie in state at the Minnesota Capitol rotunda. The tribute drew thousands, underscoring her legacy as a transformative political figure and trailblazer for women in leadership.

“She was the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history,” said Gov. Walz in an emotional eulogy. “In this inexplicable tragedy, we search for meaning. Maybe that meaning lies in how we choose to move forward—by working together, talking with empathy, and remembering our shared humanity, just as Mark and Melissa always did.”

Father Daniel Griffith, who led the proceedings, called on the nation to confront not just the violence itself, but the social and political climate that fosters it. “Minnesota was Ground Zero for racial injustice, after the killing of George Floyd. And now, tragically, it’s Ground Zero for political extremism. Both are direct threats to human dignity and our democracy,” Griffith said.

Hortman had been a central figure in Minnesota politics for more than two decades. A Democrat, she became speaker of the Minnesota House in 2019 and was recently named speaker emerita under a bipartisan power-sharing agreement. Her legislative career was marked by fierce advocacy on climate policy, reproductive rights, and education.

But her life was cut short in what officials say was part of a larger, politically motivated plot.

Authorities have charged 57-year-old Vance Boelter in connection with the shootings. He allegedly impersonated a law enforcement officer—donning a blue shirt, tactical vest, and fake badge—to gain access to the lawmakers’ homes. Investigators later uncovered a disturbing notebook containing a hit list of elected officials, many of whom were vocal supporters of abortion rights. The list extended beyond Minnesota, naming politicians in Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa.

Boelter, who has pleaded not guilty, was captured two days after the attack in a remote field in Minnesota, armed and attempting to evade authorities in what became the state’s largest manhunt, involving more than 200 officers.

The alleged attacker’s wife issued a statement through her attorney on Thursday, distancing herself and her family from the violence. “We are absolutely shocked, heartbroken and completely blindsided,” the statement read. “This violence does not align with our beliefs as a family. It is a betrayal of everything we hold true as tenets of our Christian Faith.”

The scope and brutality of the Hortmans’ killing has triggered alarm far beyond Minnesota. While politically motivated violence in the U.S. is not new, experts warn it is becoming more frequent—and more deadly. In recent years, the nation has witnessed a kidnapping plot against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, assassination attempts against former President Donald Trump, and an April firebomb attack on Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s residence.

In the wake of the Hortmans’ deaths, a rare moment of unity emerged: leaders from both major political parties, including President Biden and former President Trump, condemned the violence in unequivocal terms.

Yet for many in Minnesota, the grief is still raw—and the questions haunting.

“How did we come to this point, where elected officials are hunted in their own homes?” asked state Rep. Aisha Gomez, who attended the funeral. “Melissa and Mark were kind, hopeful people. Their legacy should be a turning point, not another name added to a growing list.”

As mourners filed out of the basilica and made their way to the private burial, the mood was solemn, but resolute. In their loss, many found a renewed urgency to uphold the democratic ideals that Hortman fought for throughout her life.

“She showed us that politics can be done with integrity, with heart,” said Walz. “Now it’s up to us to make sure her voice doesn’t fall silent.”

The memory of Melissa Hortman—lawyer, mother, speaker, and public servant—will linger far beyond her years in office. But perhaps her most enduring legacy will be the demand, now shared by mourners and leaders alike, that American democracy must never again be taken for granted.