|
Hundreds Remember Slain MN Rep, Husband06/20 06:05
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Hundreds of people, some clutching candles or
carrying flowers to lay in front of a memorial, gathered outside Minnesota's
Capitol on Wednesday evening for a vigil to remember a prominent state lawmaker
and her husband who were gunned down at their home.
As a brass quintet from the Minnesota Orchestra played, Gov. Tim Walz wiped
away tears and comforted attendees at the gathering for former House Speaker
Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, who were killed early Saturday in the
northern Minneapolis suburbs.
Colin Hortman, the Hortmans' son, embraced Walz and lay a photo of his
parents on the memorial.
The memorial, which sprang up outside the Capitol after the killings,
features flowers, American flags, photos and sticky notes with such messages
as, "Thank you for always believing in me and in Minnesota" and "We got this
from here. Thank you for everything."
Wednesday's vigil also included a Native American drum circle, a string
quartet and the crowd singing "Amazing Grace."
Around the gathering, there was a heavy police presence, with law
enforcement blocking off streets leading up to the Capitol and state troopers
standing guard.
The event didn't include a speaking program and attendees were instructed
not to bring signs of any kind.
The man charged in federal and state court with killing the Hortmans, Vance
Boelter, is also accused of shooting another Democratic lawmaker, Sen. John
Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, at their home a few miles away in Champlin. They
survived and are recovering. Federal prosecutors have declined to speculate
about a motive.
Boelter's attorneys have declined to comment on the charges.
Hortman had served as the top House Democratic leader since 2017, and six
years as speaker, starting in 2019. Under a power-sharing deal after the 2024
election left the House tied, her title became speaker emerita and Republican
Rep. Lisa Demuth became speaker.
Walz has described Hortman as his closest political ally and "the most
consequential Speaker in state history."
The Hortmans were alumni of the University of Minnesota, which held a midday
memorial gathering on the Minneapolis campus.
Rebecca Cunningham, the university's president, spoke during the event about
the grief and outrage people are grappling with along with questions about how
things got to this point.
"I don't have the answers to these questions but I know that finding answers
starts with the coming together in community as we are today," she said.
Funeral information for the Hortmans has not been announced.
|
|